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Weeping Hollow #1
Shadows and Curses
The Abbot House has been cursed and abandoned for twenty-three years. Until now.
When Harriet’s mother receives a mysterious letter in the mail with the news that the curse is about to end, she wastes no time in uprooting Harriet’s life and moving them to the spooky New England town of Weeping Hollow.
Unlike the rest of her family, Harriet has no real magical talent—except for the unusual ability to see and interact with ghosts. A stupid and useless gift, in her opinion. Her lack of magical abilities has always made her feel like an outsider among other witches, and that feeling only solidifies when her fellow witches begin hazing her at her new school.
Things improve when Harriet befriends a group of amateur ghost hunters. Owen, Spencer, Nolan, and Mattie are some of the first people to ever accept Harriet for who she really is. But when they decide to investigate the deaths of two ghosts who constantly follow Harriet around, they accidentally uncover much darker and more dangerous secrets than they ever anticipated.
When Harriet’s mother receives a mysterious letter in the mail with the news that the curse is about to end, she wastes no time in uprooting Harriet’s life and moving them to the spooky New England town of Weeping Hollow.
Unlike the rest of her family, Harriet has no real magical talent—except for the unusual ability to see and interact with ghosts. A stupid and useless gift, in her opinion. Her lack of magical abilities has always made her feel like an outsider among other witches, and that feeling only solidifies when her fellow witches begin hazing her at her new school.
Things improve when Harriet befriends a group of amateur ghost hunters. Owen, Spencer, Nolan, and Mattie are some of the first people to ever accept Harriet for who she really is. But when they decide to investigate the deaths of two ghosts who constantly follow Harriet around, they accidentally uncover much darker and more dangerous secrets than they ever anticipated.
430 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 27, 2023
226 people are currently reading
491 people want to read
About the author
Willow Hadley
12 books913 followersWillow Hadley is a self-published author who primarily writes sugary sweet reverse harem romance. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, their dog, ferret, and two cars. She started writing in early 2018, and decided to pursue publishing in 2020. She loves character driven stories and fluffy books that give you a warm, fuzzy feeling. She’s also obsessed with Disney movies, and her favorite candy is licorice.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
February 4, 2023
I haven't enjoyed the ghost trope like this book since the Veil Diaries. I honestly had a blast reading this.
Like all of Miss Hadley's fantastic FMC's, Harriet was unique and quirky in her own way. It was great seeing an FMC as the Grumpy one and her guys as the Sunshines.( We can also group Nolan as a honorary grump)
Loved the side characters in this book (as I normally do. Forever a Reiner girl!!)
Ryan was hilarious, I could not get enough of his banter. Eager to see where his storyline goes in the upcoming book.
I wonder if we will ever have a crossover between Cricket Kendall and Shadow and Curses. Can you imagine the chaos and mayhem that will ensue if Cricket and Harriet ever meet. * pls if you're reading this Willow, I would kill for a novella between the two series*
Highly recommend you all start this series. It made me feel nostalgic, and is a great palette cleanser. Can't wait for the next book!
Like all of Miss Hadley's fantastic FMC's, Harriet was unique and quirky in her own way. It was great seeing an FMC as the Grumpy one and her guys as the Sunshines.( We can also group Nolan as a honorary grump)
Loved the side characters in this book (as I normally do. Forever a Reiner girl!!)
Ryan was hilarious, I could not get enough of his banter. Eager to see where his storyline goes in the upcoming book.
I wonder if we will ever have a crossover between Cricket Kendall and Shadow and Curses. Can you imagine the chaos and mayhem that will ensue if Cricket and Harriet ever meet. * pls if you're reading this Willow, I would kill for a novella between the two series*
Highly recommend you all start this series. It made me feel nostalgic, and is a great palette cleanser. Can't wait for the next book!
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February 10, 2023
⤅ Character-driven books are all well and good, but the story still needs to actually have something HAPPEN.
This author actually blocked me on Facebook because I gave one of her previous books a three-star rating (insert massive eyeroll at the fragility) but the blurb sounded decent, so I picked this one up. It started out strong, but then fizzled away.
Harriet, her mother, and aunt have just moved into her dead great-grandmother's house in Weeping Hollow. They're a family of witches, but somehow Harriet has no magical ability except the relatively useless ability to see ghosts. What a coincidence: at her new secondary school, she runs into a group of boys who happen to investigate paranormal activity. We have reserved Nolan, the group ringleader; his talkative cousin Mattie; charming, flirty Spencer; and his quiet best friend, Owen. Though they don't initially know her power, Harriet quickly falls in with them. She also meets Ryan, the ghost of a former student haunting the school, and promises him she'll discover what happened to him.
❌ My biggest problem with the book is that Harriet is passive AF. She can see ghosts, yet she's never once done any research into her ability, or bothered to learn what she can from it?! This is utterly baffling. It isn't until she meets the boys that she realises SHE'S A WITCH and could have done something to figure out why seeing ghosts is her only ability.
❌ She also is ridiculously passive when it comes to helping Ryan. Even after her promise, she comes up with zero ideas about how to help him. It's the boys who have all the ideas, and since she doesn't tell them about Ryan for a while, at least half the book goes by before the plot makes actual strides on this point. It also makes Harriet look pretty dumb that basic suggestions (e.g. looking in old yearbooks for pictures of Ryan) are things she doesn't think about at all. The effect of all this is that the plot inches along for most of the book, and it felt like wading through toffee.
❌ The ghost thing also kind of falls apart. So it turns out that all a human needs to do in order to see an otherwise invisible ghost is... take a picture of it? This is such a ridiculously simple method, how come ghosts haven't been exposed ages ago, with the advent of phone cameras?
❌ The number of times Harriet 'giggled', especially 'awkwardly', was INSANE. I did a search at one point and I don't recall the exact number of times it came up, but definitely like every 4-5 pages! It got to the point where just seeing the word 'giggle' made me want to scream.
✔️ The romance is okay. It's very YA, which isn't necessarily a bad thing - slow burn is definitely the way to go. However, I didn't feel much chemistry between Harriet and any of the boys (though Spencer and Owen are the only ones who have actual romantic development in this book). Their characters are decently well defined, but I just couldn't feel any spark.
This author actually blocked me on Facebook because I gave one of her previous books a three-star rating (insert massive eyeroll at the fragility) but the blurb sounded decent, so I picked this one up. It started out strong, but then fizzled away.
Harriet, her mother, and aunt have just moved into her dead great-grandmother's house in Weeping Hollow. They're a family of witches, but somehow Harriet has no magical ability except the relatively useless ability to see ghosts. What a coincidence: at her new secondary school, she runs into a group of boys who happen to investigate paranormal activity. We have reserved Nolan, the group ringleader; his talkative cousin Mattie; charming, flirty Spencer; and his quiet best friend, Owen. Though they don't initially know her power, Harriet quickly falls in with them. She also meets Ryan, the ghost of a former student haunting the school, and promises him she'll discover what happened to him.
❌ My biggest problem with the book is that Harriet is passive AF. She can see ghosts, yet she's never once done any research into her ability, or bothered to learn what she can from it?! This is utterly baffling. It isn't until she meets the boys that she realises SHE'S A WITCH and could have done something to figure out why seeing ghosts is her only ability.
❌ She also is ridiculously passive when it comes to helping Ryan. Even after her promise, she comes up with zero ideas about how to help him. It's the boys who have all the ideas, and since she doesn't tell them about Ryan for a while, at least half the book goes by before the plot makes actual strides on this point. It also makes Harriet look pretty dumb that basic suggestions (e.g. looking in old yearbooks for pictures of Ryan) are things she doesn't think about at all. The effect of all this is that the plot inches along for most of the book, and it felt like wading through toffee.
❌ The ghost thing also kind of falls apart. So it turns out that all a human needs to do in order to see an otherwise invisible ghost is... take a picture of it? This is such a ridiculously simple method, how come ghosts haven't been exposed ages ago, with the advent of phone cameras?
❌ The number of times Harriet 'giggled', especially 'awkwardly', was INSANE. I did a search at one point and I don't recall the exact number of times it came up, but definitely like every 4-5 pages! It got to the point where just seeing the word 'giggle' made me want to scream.
✔️ The romance is okay. It's very YA, which isn't necessarily a bad thing - slow burn is definitely the way to go. However, I didn't feel much chemistry between Harriet and any of the boys (though Spencer and Owen are the only ones who have actual romantic development in this book). Their characters are decently well defined, but I just couldn't feel any spark.
January 18, 2023
Finally!!!! I cannot tell you how refreshing it is to read a book where the characters actually do rational things and are open and honest with other people and there aren’t a bunch of “misunderstandings”. There were so many places in the book where I thought “oh here we go, the character is not gonna say anything and it’s gonna create so much unnecessary drama”, and I was totally mistaken! The characters actually were rational and mature and it was so unbelievably refreshing! I have to admit that at the beginning of the story I was not a big fan of Harriet, I found her too harsh and bitchy but as I kept reading I realized that it was fully a coping mechanism and she certainly had reasons to be the way she was. In reality she’s actually a very sweet and compassionate character who I have grown to really admire. All the guys are quite different and distinct from each other which always makes a reverse harem much more interesting. As all books by Willow Hadley, I was sucked in immediately and couldn’t put the book down! Great new series!
February 8, 2023
THIS WAS SO GOOD IM SCREAMING!!! IT HAD ALL THE TROPES I LOVE OF A HS REVERSE HAREM NOVEL. IM LITERALLY SO EXCITED FOR BOOK TWO OMGGGGGGGGGGTHRJDNEKEKSKWKOENFNFKAKWIEJFEN!!!!!!
March 18, 2023
Representation: Bisexual supporting character
Overall: 4.25-stars
Safety Rating: Safe*
Possible Triggers: Yes
Ending:
Overall: 4.25-stars
Safety Rating: Safe*
Possible Triggers: Yes
Ending:
January 21, 2023
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review. No matter how much I love Willow, that will in no way sway my opinions.
** spoilers as spicy as mayonnaise in the review below **
I'm not sure exactly what I expected from this new adventure that my goddess Willow was fitting to take me on but I couldn't be happier with what I was served.
Truly a perfect blend of Willow's previous series' of Charlotte Reynolds and Cricket Kendall, this story follows Harriet– a witch with no powers who has the ability to see and speak with ghosts. Moving to a new town her family was once prominent members of, she finds kindred spirits in a small group of friends who just so happen to be the town's ghost hunting gang.
With mysteries and ghosts and curses abound, I truly had no idea what was going to happen next. More than once I literally said "Holy hell!" out loud when something was revealed that I hadn't even thought of in my wildest little imagination. And damn if I don't love surprises.
Our cast of characters for this series is exactly what you expect from our Willow too– they're real as hell. You'll feel like you know them as if they're your best friends. I don't know how she does it, every single time, but her characters leap off the page and I've read every single book of hers and I promise you– every character is so unique, you won't have trouble confusing one for another at all.
Harriet, too, I found that I related to her most out of all of Willow's FMCs. I was always the black sheep in my family. Always felt different and awkward and highly misunderstood. I've been five foot ten since I was thirteen and while I am and was a lot curvier than Harriet, I couldn't help but see myself in her. In so, so many ways. When Mattie asks her if she'd ever date a guy shorter than her? I felt that. Oh, I felt that.
Also, I'm the same age as Ryan. He would have been in my graduating class. Thank you for making me feel old. But also thank you for Ryan because… wow. He hit me so damn hard I can't even begin to describe it. And I'm honestly scared as hell for what's going to happen in regards to him. I love him too much, okay? I love him. Harriet might be afraid to say it but I am not.
Also, that scene on Halloween in the diner? I lost my dad at a young age. And I cried the whole damn time. Again: that hit hard. I have to say this is probably the most emotional Willow has ever made me and I know it wasn't pms okay?
All in all– I love this book, I love this story, I love these characters, and I'm so, so excited to see where this story goes. I could have sincerely sat and binge read the entire series and not gotten sick of it one bit. Sadly I'll have to wait for more but you know what? Willow is more than worth any wait I must be patient for.
Another set of boys, another story for me to hyperfixate on. Five stars, Willow. Five big, bright stars.
Themes:
-high school YA
-why choose?
-ghost hunters
-witches
Ratings:
Plot: 5 ⭐
Characters: 5 ⭐
Spice: N/A
Overall: 5 ⭐
** spoilers as spicy as mayonnaise in the review below **
I'm not sure exactly what I expected from this new adventure that my goddess Willow was fitting to take me on but I couldn't be happier with what I was served.
Truly a perfect blend of Willow's previous series' of Charlotte Reynolds and Cricket Kendall, this story follows Harriet– a witch with no powers who has the ability to see and speak with ghosts. Moving to a new town her family was once prominent members of, she finds kindred spirits in a small group of friends who just so happen to be the town's ghost hunting gang.
With mysteries and ghosts and curses abound, I truly had no idea what was going to happen next. More than once I literally said "Holy hell!" out loud when something was revealed that I hadn't even thought of in my wildest little imagination. And damn if I don't love surprises.
Our cast of characters for this series is exactly what you expect from our Willow too– they're real as hell. You'll feel like you know them as if they're your best friends. I don't know how she does it, every single time, but her characters leap off the page and I've read every single book of hers and I promise you– every character is so unique, you won't have trouble confusing one for another at all.
Harriet, too, I found that I related to her most out of all of Willow's FMCs. I was always the black sheep in my family. Always felt different and awkward and highly misunderstood. I've been five foot ten since I was thirteen and while I am and was a lot curvier than Harriet, I couldn't help but see myself in her. In so, so many ways. When Mattie asks her if she'd ever date a guy shorter than her? I felt that. Oh, I felt that.
Also, I'm the same age as Ryan. He would have been in my graduating class. Thank you for making me feel old. But also thank you for Ryan because… wow. He hit me so damn hard I can't even begin to describe it. And I'm honestly scared as hell for what's going to happen in regards to him. I love him too much, okay? I love him. Harriet might be afraid to say it but I am not.
Also, that scene on Halloween in the diner? I lost my dad at a young age. And I cried the whole damn time. Again: that hit hard. I have to say this is probably the most emotional Willow has ever made me and I know it wasn't pms okay?
All in all– I love this book, I love this story, I love these characters, and I'm so, so excited to see where this story goes. I could have sincerely sat and binge read the entire series and not gotten sick of it one bit. Sadly I'll have to wait for more but you know what? Willow is more than worth any wait I must be patient for.
Another set of boys, another story for me to hyperfixate on. Five stars, Willow. Five big, bright stars.
Themes:
-high school YA
-why choose?
-ghost hunters
-witches
Ratings:
Plot: 5 ⭐
Characters: 5 ⭐
Spice: N/A
Overall: 5 ⭐
February 2, 2023
This was a really great book !
I picked it up because I'm in my ghost and RH phase it seems. I was previously reading The Veil Diaries series, so I wasn't expecting this book to be at that level. And boy... I was so wrong about this assumption !
This is the story of a grumpy and brooding Harriet who is a witch without any magic, except this weird and useless ability to see ghosts. I said useless ? I'm sorry, I meant amazing ability to see ghost ! Well not for the witches, but certainly to the four dorks ghosts and amateur investigators. And she might be as nerdy as they are !
This book was fantastically written, great humour, smart dialogues, quick and efficient pacing, funny narrator all in a sharp and wicked pen ! The characters were amazingly written, even the one you don't like are relatable somehow and you find yourself think "well this definitely sounds like Karen Richard from high school", or even "my mom does that too, sweetie". It was so clever and well put together really ! I love the guys and I can see potential for more funny dialogues and cute moments already !
When I pick a RH book, I'm always a bit worried about the drama effect. I hate communication tropes, and seeing them coming together naturally while speaking effectively is so amazing. Sometimes, authors want to show us what you shouldn't be doing in a relationship by letting the characters try and fail. But I think it's so much more enjoyable and nice to show us how to do it efficiently and teaching us about respect, boundaries and consent this way.
This world seems interesting and there is so many intriguing things ! I can't wait to read more. Please author, don't let me hanging too long for this. But thank you for the non-cliffhanger ending. Couldn't have done it without knowing about Circe !
Merry
I picked it up because I'm in my ghost and RH phase it seems. I was previously reading The Veil Diaries series, so I wasn't expecting this book to be at that level. And boy... I was so wrong about this assumption !
This is the story of a grumpy and brooding Harriet who is a witch without any magic, except this weird and useless ability to see ghosts. I said useless ? I'm sorry, I meant amazing ability to see ghost ! Well not for the witches, but certainly to the four dorks ghosts and amateur investigators. And she might be as nerdy as they are !
This book was fantastically written, great humour, smart dialogues, quick and efficient pacing, funny narrator all in a sharp and wicked pen ! The characters were amazingly written, even the one you don't like are relatable somehow and you find yourself think "well this definitely sounds like Karen Richard from high school", or even "my mom does that too, sweetie". It was so clever and well put together really ! I love the guys and I can see potential for more funny dialogues and cute moments already !
When I pick a RH book, I'm always a bit worried about the drama effect. I hate communication tropes, and seeing them coming together naturally while speaking effectively is so amazing. Sometimes, authors want to show us what you shouldn't be doing in a relationship by letting the characters try and fail. But I think it's so much more enjoyable and nice to show us how to do it efficiently and teaching us about respect, boundaries and consent this way.
This world seems interesting and there is so many intriguing things ! I can't wait to read more. Please author, don't let me hanging too long for this. But thank you for the non-cliffhanger ending. Couldn't have done it without knowing about Circe !
Merry
February 5, 2023
Ghosts and Teenage angst
Harriet is a witch who can see ghosts but very little else. Moving to a new town, navigating high school and new friends leads to a lot of teenage angst and eyerolls. However, at the end the story has sucked you in and you somehow can read beyond the hormones and awkwardness. Curious to read more.
Harriet is a witch who can see ghosts but very little else. Moving to a new town, navigating high school and new friends leads to a lot of teenage angst and eyerolls. However, at the end the story has sucked you in and you somehow can read beyond the hormones and awkwardness. Curious to read more.
January 18, 2023
Willow has done it again! I adored this book!
Sweet reverse harem with a misunderstood witchy FMC and a harem of sweet oddballs.
Our main character has always been an outcast. Switching schools and uprooting her life, adjusting to a new set of bullies (not our sweet harem) and uncovering sinister secrets… sign me up!
This is a slow burn and the relationship growth feels natural. I really liked the guys and especially our excitable golden retriever Mattie. I’m rooting for you Mattie!
My one little thing that I didn’t love is our FMC Harriet sometimes comes across as a brat. It’s very much a defense mechanism and we’ve already seen some growth. I believe this character will continue her evolution in books to come.
Would recommend and can’t wait for the next book!
Sweet reverse harem with a misunderstood witchy FMC and a harem of sweet oddballs.
Our main character has always been an outcast. Switching schools and uprooting her life, adjusting to a new set of bullies (not our sweet harem) and uncovering sinister secrets… sign me up!
This is a slow burn and the relationship growth feels natural. I really liked the guys and especially our excitable golden retriever Mattie. I’m rooting for you Mattie!
My one little thing that I didn’t love is our FMC Harriet sometimes comes across as a brat. It’s very much a defense mechanism and we’ve already seen some growth. I believe this character will continue her evolution in books to come.
Would recommend and can’t wait for the next book!
February 4, 2023
(Thank you Peachy Keen and the author Willow Hadley for the eARC in exchange for a spoiler free review)
I’ve not read this author’s work before so this is the first. I usually don’t read YA but I liked the blurb of this book so I signed up for it.
I think it’s hard to pull of supernatural themes in books and I liked how the FMC, Harriot in this book was unique. I also liked the mystery in this book about her family dynamics. The harem had the good and interesting MMCs as well as the annoying ones like any other harem.
But because it’s YA there was more slow burn than fast paced content which is something I generally don’t fancy.
I’ve not read this author’s work before so this is the first. I usually don’t read YA but I liked the blurb of this book so I signed up for it.
I think it’s hard to pull of supernatural themes in books and I liked how the FMC, Harriot in this book was unique. I also liked the mystery in this book about her family dynamics. The harem had the good and interesting MMCs as well as the annoying ones like any other harem.
But because it’s YA there was more slow burn than fast paced content which is something I generally don’t fancy.
February 7, 2023
This review is more about new readers of the author, not so much this book itself that has the same great characters and writing Ms. Hadley always delivers.
My problem is that this author feels like one of those fanfic authors who have great work but never finish a series or end an old series suddenly and shoddily, just to close it out so they can focus on their new ideas.
I read the afterword, I understand that this book was one of the first the author started before being published, so I get the unfinished business aspect. I also understand authors have lives outside of writing and that books will never come out as quickly as us avid readers want.
But there is now so much content in this genre now that series and authors, even really good ones like Hadley, get abandoned by readers because of too many WIP's coupled with long release times.
And while I personally have no plans to do that, I will admit that its one of the reasons I've stopped recomending this author.
So yes, this was a very good book. Yes this story has an incredible amount of potential (reminds me of a RH Scary Mary) but at the end of the day, this author has no finished series and frankly, no stories remotely near a completion arc.
Thanks to my manga addiction. I will literally read a series FOREVER. 4 books or 400, as long as the author keep giving good storylines in a series I will keep buying the books. But a bad end, abandoned or rushed conclusion can ruin any joy or affection I had for a once beloved story.
My problem is that this author feels like one of those fanfic authors who have great work but never finish a series or end an old series suddenly and shoddily, just to close it out so they can focus on their new ideas.
I read the afterword, I understand that this book was one of the first the author started before being published, so I get the unfinished business aspect. I also understand authors have lives outside of writing and that books will never come out as quickly as us avid readers want.
But there is now so much content in this genre now that series and authors, even really good ones like Hadley, get abandoned by readers because of too many WIP's coupled with long release times.
And while I personally have no plans to do that, I will admit that its one of the reasons I've stopped recomending this author.
So yes, this was a very good book. Yes this story has an incredible amount of potential (reminds me of a RH Scary Mary) but at the end of the day, this author has no finished series and frankly, no stories remotely near a completion arc.
Thanks to my manga addiction. I will literally read a series FOREVER. 4 books or 400, as long as the author keep giving good storylines in a series I will keep buying the books. But a bad end, abandoned or rushed conclusion can ruin any joy or affection I had for a once beloved story.
January 19, 2023
Once again, Willow Hadley has written such a fantastic book!
Shadows and Curses is the start of a brand-new series called Weeping Hollow. It is about a witch named Harriet, but she is no ordinary witch. She doesn't have powers, but she can see ghosts, which is pretty cool! After Harriet's mom receives a letter in the mail with the news that the curse that was put on the Abbot house is about to end after 23 years. Harriet's mother decides to move there right away. Harriet is not very happy about the move and is quite grumpy because of it. She does meet some great guys along the way though...
Gah, this book was amazing! Harriet is such a fun and a little grumpy and quirky character that I really like. I love it when authors write a grumpy FMC! Nolan is also a grump btw. The guys are so sweet and a little awkward which I am all for in this book! While this is a why choose romance, it is a slow burn for sure. I personally think that slow burns are perfect for why choose romance.
This book has so much fun stuff in it! It's got witches, ghosts, mysteries, and super sweet characters and so much more! I highly recommend this series to anyone who likes super sweet why choose romance. I cannot wait to see what happens next in Harriet and her guys story.
I would love to go on and on about this book, but I won't. So just go and read it ASAP!!!!
5 Stars!
Shadows and Curses is the start of a brand-new series called Weeping Hollow. It is about a witch named Harriet, but she is no ordinary witch. She doesn't have powers, but she can see ghosts, which is pretty cool! After Harriet's mom receives a letter in the mail with the news that the curse that was put on the Abbot house is about to end after 23 years. Harriet's mother decides to move there right away. Harriet is not very happy about the move and is quite grumpy because of it. She does meet some great guys along the way though...
Gah, this book was amazing! Harriet is such a fun and a little grumpy and quirky character that I really like. I love it when authors write a grumpy FMC! Nolan is also a grump btw. The guys are so sweet and a little awkward which I am all for in this book! While this is a why choose romance, it is a slow burn for sure. I personally think that slow burns are perfect for why choose romance.
This book has so much fun stuff in it! It's got witches, ghosts, mysteries, and super sweet characters and so much more! I highly recommend this series to anyone who likes super sweet why choose romance. I cannot wait to see what happens next in Harriet and her guys story.
I would love to go on and on about this book, but I won't. So just go and read it ASAP!!!!
5 Stars!
January 21, 2024
I love Willow Hadley’s work, and liked this book, but it definitely not my favorite of her series. 3.75 stars.
After reading some darker books and DNFing and couple I was finally desperate enough to torture myself with another Willow Hadley book. Not that I don’t LOVE her books, but I hate reading unfinished series. I decided to pick this one up anyway. Out of her works this series so far falls into last place behind the Of Moons and Monsters series on my ranking of her series.
That said: without trying to spoil too much, one thing I really, really loved the way Owen talked about the polyamory relationship as how it relates to who she is (~91%). I think it was a really interesting take and a great way to build on the way the author had built up the world. That was a big highlight for me that I hope keeps being part of the story. As for the characters…
Harriet: I like Harriet and feel like there is a lot of potential there, but I think the attempt at a rebellious/grump girl vibe missed the mark and hit “bratty” instead, especially with her mother. Her mother is a flake and can’t behave like an adult, but I didn’t feel too bad for Harriet for the first third of the book because she was just bratty for no reason. Or at least no clearly explained reason. I totally get her being mad about what is going on, but the way she acted seemed more petulant and antagonistic than angry and upset.
The guys: I loved Owen from the start. The guys do say that he doesn’t talk to anyone, but we don’t actually see this. Spencer was so kind right from the beginning, but he feels a bit more flat towards the end, and I sense a lot more character growth/backstory being unfolded before Nolan is on board. Something about the way Mattie is written gives me a vibe of him being younger and more immature than they are and gives him a friend-zone vibe, but I think the author was working on that towards the end.
Am I excited to read more about the characters? Yes! But I’d rather have more Cricket and Charlotte ❤️
After reading some darker books and DNFing and couple I was finally desperate enough to torture myself with another Willow Hadley book. Not that I don’t LOVE her books, but I hate reading unfinished series. I decided to pick this one up anyway. Out of her works this series so far falls into last place behind the Of Moons and Monsters series on my ranking of her series.
That said: without trying to spoil too much, one thing I really, really loved the way Owen talked about the polyamory relationship as how it relates to who she is (~91%). I think it was a really interesting take and a great way to build on the way the author had built up the world. That was a big highlight for me that I hope keeps being part of the story. As for the characters…
Harriet: I like Harriet and feel like there is a lot of potential there, but I think the attempt at a rebellious/grump girl vibe missed the mark and hit “bratty” instead, especially with her mother. Her mother is a flake and can’t behave like an adult, but I didn’t feel too bad for Harriet for the first third of the book because she was just bratty for no reason. Or at least no clearly explained reason. I totally get her being mad about what is going on, but the way she acted seemed more petulant and antagonistic than angry and upset.
The guys: I loved Owen from the start. The guys do say that he doesn’t talk to anyone, but we don’t actually see this. Spencer was so kind right from the beginning, but he feels a bit more flat towards the end, and I sense a lot more character growth/backstory being unfolded before Nolan is on board. Something about the way Mattie is written gives me a vibe of him being younger and more immature than they are and gives him a friend-zone vibe, but I think the author was working on that towards the end.
Am I excited to read more about the characters? Yes! But I’d rather have more Cricket and Charlotte ❤️
February 3, 2023
3.5 not my cup of tea stars
Ok, so I went into this knowing that ghost hunters and haunted houses really aren't my thing, but I love Willow Hadley's writing so I wanted to give this a chance. Ironically, it wasn't really the ghost themes that made me give this a mediocre rating.
So we have Harriot, a teenage witch who doesn't exhibit any of the normal powers a witch is supposed to have. Instead of being able to cast spells and make potions, she can see and talk to ghosts. At the beginning of the book she is forced to move back to her mother's home town where she quickly makes both friends and enemies and stumbles upon a century old mystery.
What I liked:
1. I liked her character arc or journey of accepting herself for who she truly is as a person.
2. The guys characters were fun and realistic
3. The whole mystery was/is intriguing.
4. Her step family was awesome.
What I didn't love:
1. Her family dynamic was not fun to experience. Her mom is a self centered beast who sees her daughter as a disappointment and a pawn to be used. No trust/ no loyalty
2. I hate reverse harems where the guys compete with each other and have hurt and jealous feelings. Unfortunately, that is very prevalent for a good portion of this book.
3. I wasn't a huge fan of the evil council trope.
4. The book was extremely slow paced.
5. If you know me, you know I hate books with mind control and ability removal. In this book we see mind control and mind wiping used. There was also foreshadowing of future power stripping.
Ok, so I went into this knowing that ghost hunters and haunted houses really aren't my thing, but I love Willow Hadley's writing so I wanted to give this a chance. Ironically, it wasn't really the ghost themes that made me give this a mediocre rating.
So we have Harriot, a teenage witch who doesn't exhibit any of the normal powers a witch is supposed to have. Instead of being able to cast spells and make potions, she can see and talk to ghosts. At the beginning of the book she is forced to move back to her mother's home town where she quickly makes both friends and enemies and stumbles upon a century old mystery.
What I liked:
1. I liked her character arc or journey of accepting herself for who she truly is as a person.
2. The guys characters were fun and realistic
3. The whole mystery was/is intriguing.
4. Her step family was awesome.
What I didn't love:
1. Her family dynamic was not fun to experience. Her mom is a self centered beast who sees her daughter as a disappointment and a pawn to be used. No trust/ no loyalty
2. I hate reverse harems where the guys compete with each other and have hurt and jealous feelings. Unfortunately, that is very prevalent for a good portion of this book.
3. I wasn't a huge fan of the evil council trope.
4. The book was extremely slow paced.
5. If you know me, you know I hate books with mind control and ability removal. In this book we see mind control and mind wiping used. There was also foreshadowing of future power stripping.
January 18, 2023
The fMC in this one is kind of a mix between Cricket, Charlotte and Isla. She can be snide/sarcastic, sometimes a bit too much to undeserving people, which bothered me from time to time. But because we see that happen in her POV, we do know why she does that and I can look past it.
The guys are so cute! Except for Nolan, I can definitely see Harriet falling for all of them. Nolan still has a long way to go, and he also didn’t get that much time in this book so he probably has more in book 2. I’m so conflicted about Ryan, I kinda want him in the harem but I also desperately want him to finally be able to pass over and find peace instead of staying stuck in limbo in a world he’ll never be able to completely be a part of again. Ahh it’s hard!
I loved the mystery element to the book and am soooo excited to find out more in book 2!!!
The guys are so cute! Except for Nolan, I can definitely see Harriet falling for all of them. Nolan still has a long way to go, and he also didn’t get that much time in this book so he probably has more in book 2. I’m so conflicted about Ryan, I kinda want him in the harem but I also desperately want him to finally be able to pass over and find peace instead of staying stuck in limbo in a world he’ll never be able to completely be a part of again. Ahh it’s hard!
I loved the mystery element to the book and am soooo excited to find out more in book 2!!!
January 20, 2023
“𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈’𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈’𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐬𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭.“
I am a big fan of Harriet and her headstrong ways. She’s a strong woman who is learning about her reality with the ability of seeing ghosts, while trying to find her own way.
I absolutely loved the guys. They’re not your typical alphahole, but cinnamon rolls. I’m hoping the next one has more of Mattie and Nolan as I ship them all so hard!
Once I started this book, I had a hard time trying to put it down. I have not had a book do that to me for a while now. Although the ending didn’t have a cliffhanger- I have so many questions that I need answered!!
Highly recommend this book if your looking for a fun cozy read with spooky vibes!
I am a big fan of Harriet and her headstrong ways. She’s a strong woman who is learning about her reality with the ability of seeing ghosts, while trying to find her own way.
I absolutely loved the guys. They’re not your typical alphahole, but cinnamon rolls. I’m hoping the next one has more of Mattie and Nolan as I ship them all so hard!
Once I started this book, I had a hard time trying to put it down. I have not had a book do that to me for a while now. Although the ending didn’t have a cliffhanger- I have so many questions that I need answered!!
Highly recommend this book if your looking for a fun cozy read with spooky vibes!
January 16, 2023
Willow Hadley has sucked me into another one of her series.
This book was just as amazing as her others.
Harriet is a witch, but one without the normal witchy powers, which makes her feel like a dud. Several things make Harriet feel self conscious, which leads her to being a bit grumpy and prickly. But her guys are quick to start battering at her walls.
While this is a why choose, it’s definitely slow burn, and this book only sees to her building a romantic relationship with two of the guys so far. I can’t wait for the next two, and I’m seriously hoping for some ghost action too! 😂
This book, honestly hits so many relatable points in unobvious ways. Love it so much and can’t wait for the next one.
This book was just as amazing as her others.
Harriet is a witch, but one without the normal witchy powers, which makes her feel like a dud. Several things make Harriet feel self conscious, which leads her to being a bit grumpy and prickly. But her guys are quick to start battering at her walls.
While this is a why choose, it’s definitely slow burn, and this book only sees to her building a romantic relationship with two of the guys so far. I can’t wait for the next two, and I’m seriously hoping for some ghost action too! 😂
This book, honestly hits so many relatable points in unobvious ways. Love it so much and can’t wait for the next one.
January 28, 2023
This is book 1 on the Weeping Hollow Series and should be read in order as there is one continuing story throughout the books.
This book follows Harriet who has moved to Weeping Hollow with her Mom and Aunt into the family home. This is a town full of witches including Harriet and her family. The caveat is that Harriett doesn't have traditional witch powers. Harriet and see and talk to ghosts but cannot perform any magic. While learning the ins and outs of her new school, She meets several Boys who become her friend and one who is a bit different. The reason he is different is because he is dead and only Harriet can see him. A huge mystery is uncovered and Harriet and her crew will have to navigate through some tough waters in order to get to the bottom of the mystery.
This is my first book by Willow Hadley. I love Harriet and the boys. Their relationship is definitely different but I love reading how they are working through their issues. The paranormal aspect of the story was super fun and I love ghost stories. I am looking forward to seeing where this one goes as I am sure we are only just beginning to understand what is going on. I loved Ryan in this story and he quickly became one of my favorites in this book. I am curious where his story will go in the next installment of the series as his status was left open. I did find that the story at times felt a bit disjointed and rushed, especially at the end. Having said that, I still really enjoyed the story and am looking forward to reading book 2. This one get 4 stars from me.
This book follows Harriet who has moved to Weeping Hollow with her Mom and Aunt into the family home. This is a town full of witches including Harriet and her family. The caveat is that Harriett doesn't have traditional witch powers. Harriet and see and talk to ghosts but cannot perform any magic. While learning the ins and outs of her new school, She meets several Boys who become her friend and one who is a bit different. The reason he is different is because he is dead and only Harriet can see him. A huge mystery is uncovered and Harriet and her crew will have to navigate through some tough waters in order to get to the bottom of the mystery.
This is my first book by Willow Hadley. I love Harriet and the boys. Their relationship is definitely different but I love reading how they are working through their issues. The paranormal aspect of the story was super fun and I love ghost stories. I am looking forward to seeing where this one goes as I am sure we are only just beginning to understand what is going on. I loved Ryan in this story and he quickly became one of my favorites in this book. I am curious where his story will go in the next installment of the series as his status was left open. I did find that the story at times felt a bit disjointed and rushed, especially at the end. Having said that, I still really enjoyed the story and am looking forward to reading book 2. This one get 4 stars from me.
January 18, 2023
I need book 2 so badly. I need to know what happens. Harriet was such a lovely mfc, and I instantly took a liking to her. My favourite boys were Owen and mattie, I liked Nolan and Spencer too. I'm not sure how I feel about Harriets mom, though. I really loved the story so much and need to know what happened with Ryan( I have some theories) I cannot wait for the second book.
February 25, 2023
4.5 stars
September 2, 2023
This is a sweet high school story, that focuses more or the romantic relationship between a young witch and her suitors. There is a mystery to solve regarding a boy's ghost haunting the high school, but it's more slow going. Still, it's a gentle story, sort of lazily meandering through the pages and though it wasn't a page turner, it still held my interest (sort of). If you like ghost stories and witches, then you might like this. Especially since it's almost that spooky time of year. 👻
February 16, 2023
I didn’t connect with the characters as much as I did with cricket or Isla, but still enjoyed this book and will read the next one. 3.75 ⭐️
July 26, 2023
This book was very hard for me to start. I absolutely did not like the fmc in the beginning. I though her mean and overly rude for no reason. But I pushed through and I like her more now. She seems to have settled down. And I like the guys and the ending isn’t a big cliffhanger so thank you for that but a nice little hey I’m looking forward to more.
January 21, 2023
R A T I N G A N D R E V I E W :
↪ 4.5 stars
‘Everything felt so empty before I met you.’’
**spoilers in the review below**
PLOT
The story follows Harriet– a witch with no powers who has the ability to see and speak with ghosts. Moving to a new town her family was once prominent members of, she befriends a small group of friends who just so happen to be amateur ghost hunters. When they decide to investigate the deaths of two ghosts who constantly follow Harriet around, they accidentally uncover much darker secrets than they ever anticipated.
ROMANCE
There wasn’t too much because of the YA-aspect and because it’s a slow-burn, but the parts we did get were pretty sweet and we could clearly see how the relationships are going to be formed. Something that many writers often forget to include in reverse harems.
WRITING/PACING
I actually loved the writing in this. I feel like the author, Willow, improved her writing a lot in comparison to her first series. The chapters had the perfect length and I had no problems with the pacing either.
CHARACTERS
↠ Harriet. I honestly didn’t know what to think of her when I started reading this. She came off as harsh and maybe a bit bitchy and her ‘’sneering’’ really threw me off. I kind of realized, later on, that it’s more like a coping mechanism and that I relate to her more than I should. She turned out to be such a sweet and compassionate person that really grew on me.
↠ Mattie. I liked him. He often reminded me of a golden retriever with his personality to be honest and reading his POV just made him more adorable.
↠ Nolan. Okay..so. I wasn’t sure what to think of him, because he really annoyed me at times. Although later on I realized, same with Harriet, that the points he made were all really true and ever normal person would react and freak out the same way he did. Like he was just being reasonable. Stuff that maybe made him come across stupid, would’ve just made him ‘’real’’ in real-life. Side note:The binocular-incident was embarrassing to say the least though, but I’m glad they got over it.
↠ Owen. He was my absolute favorite from the beginning, even though I know I shouldn’t have one. He’s been there for Harriet since the beginning and I can’t wait to find out more about him. Imagine Harriet meeting the ghost in his past…oh boy.
↠ Side characters. Not going to lie, I need more about the side characters. Ryan is one of my favorite characters Willow has ever written, and I just need to know more. The same with Dorian. He’s super interesting to me, it might be the ‘’mysterious-vibe’’ he’s got going on. I also loved Owen’s step-mom and I’m glad Harriet has someone to confide in.
↠ Very realistic characters, POVs and situations. The series is a perfect mix between her previous series and I love how different every character is so you have no trouble confusing one with another.
CONCLUSION
I overall loved this. I honestly wish the book had been longer, because I could not put it down.
I kinda wish the books had been written in a college-like setting or at least had the characters age-up which would've made it more enjoyable to me, since I prefer reading NA books over Ya. I don't mind this one though, at all. It was the perfect mix between mystery and sweetness and was one of my favourites to start the year.
B O O K D E T A I L S :
Title: Shadows and Curses
Book 1 in the Weeping Willow series
by: Willow Hadley
POV(s): 1st person–multiple POVs
Standalone: No
Genre: Paranormal reverse harem
Tags/Tropes
– high school YA
-why choose?
-ghost hunters
-witches
– friends to lovers
– slowburn
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
↪ 4.5 stars
‘Everything felt so empty before I met you.’’
**spoilers in the review below**
PLOT
The story follows Harriet– a witch with no powers who has the ability to see and speak with ghosts. Moving to a new town her family was once prominent members of, she befriends a small group of friends who just so happen to be amateur ghost hunters. When they decide to investigate the deaths of two ghosts who constantly follow Harriet around, they accidentally uncover much darker secrets than they ever anticipated.
ROMANCE
There wasn’t too much because of the YA-aspect and because it’s a slow-burn, but the parts we did get were pretty sweet and we could clearly see how the relationships are going to be formed. Something that many writers often forget to include in reverse harems.
WRITING/PACING
I actually loved the writing in this. I feel like the author, Willow, improved her writing a lot in comparison to her first series. The chapters had the perfect length and I had no problems with the pacing either.
CHARACTERS
↠ Harriet. I honestly didn’t know what to think of her when I started reading this. She came off as harsh and maybe a bit bitchy and her ‘’sneering’’ really threw me off. I kind of realized, later on, that it’s more like a coping mechanism and that I relate to her more than I should. She turned out to be such a sweet and compassionate person that really grew on me.
↠ Mattie. I liked him. He often reminded me of a golden retriever with his personality to be honest and reading his POV just made him more adorable.
↠ Nolan. Okay..so. I wasn’t sure what to think of him, because he really annoyed me at times. Although later on I realized, same with Harriet, that the points he made were all really true and ever normal person would react and freak out the same way he did. Like he was just being reasonable. Stuff that maybe made him come across stupid, would’ve just made him ‘’real’’ in real-life. Side note:The binocular-incident was embarrassing to say the least though, but I’m glad they got over it.
↠ Owen. He was my absolute favorite from the beginning, even though I know I shouldn’t have one. He’s been there for Harriet since the beginning and I can’t wait to find out more about him. Imagine Harriet meeting the ghost in his past…oh boy.
↠ Side characters. Not going to lie, I need more about the side characters. Ryan is one of my favorite characters Willow has ever written, and I just need to know more. The same with Dorian. He’s super interesting to me, it might be the ‘’mysterious-vibe’’ he’s got going on. I also loved Owen’s step-mom and I’m glad Harriet has someone to confide in.
↠ Very realistic characters, POVs and situations. The series is a perfect mix between her previous series and I love how different every character is so you have no trouble confusing one with another.
CONCLUSION
I overall loved this. I honestly wish the book had been longer, because I could not put it down.
I kinda wish the books had been written in a college-like setting or at least had the characters age-up which would've made it more enjoyable to me, since I prefer reading NA books over Ya. I don't mind this one though, at all. It was the perfect mix between mystery and sweetness and was one of my favourites to start the year.
B O O K D E T A I L S :
Title: Shadows and Curses
Book 1 in the Weeping Willow series
by: Willow Hadley
POV(s): 1st person–multiple POVs
Standalone: No
Genre: Paranormal reverse harem
Tags/Tropes
– high school YA
-why choose?
-ghost hunters
-witches
– friends to lovers
– slowburn
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 25, 2023
This was well worth the wait. I’m glad that Willow took the time she needed to write this story out and perfect it to her liking before she sent it out into the world. I really enjoyed the spooky atmosphere that the ghosts/paranormal investigation aspect combined with Willow’s signature super-sweet, super-supportive characters. It is a combination that I haven’t found from anyone else and I suspect it’ll continue to be uniquely hers.
The prickly FMC was a breath of fresh air compared to the standard “bubbly, perfect, everyone loves her” that can get repetitive in RH stories, although I admit I did find her teenage antics a little annoying at times. But it’s a testament to how well Willow writes that I reacted towards Harriet the same way I would my younger sibling acting the same way. It’s realistic. And while I wish Willow would write older MCs for personal reasons, I think she writes YA/NA very well.
Circe was a huge highlight and I truly adored Owen, which tugged at my heart strings for a personal reason unrelated, and I enjoyed Spencer & Ryan’s characters a lot too. Mattie grew on me, Nolan has not. His heels remained dug in too long and he didn’t really redeem himself yet, although the sincere apology was a good start. I really hope that Ryan gets some sort of Casper & the Lazarus storyline in the future because while it would make for a large harem, I love him and his adoration of Harriet (and I wouldn’t mind some MM action between Ryan and maybe Spence or Nolan). There were a lot of great supporting characters but I won’t spoil too much. And the stuff with her mom? Let’s just say I started channeling my own inner angsty teen when it came to the stuff with her.
As for the rest — I’m really curious to see where the witches council aspect ends. And I really hope that Amethyst gets what’s coming to her 😤
Aside from wishing the characters were older because I feel a bit ick being in my 30s reading about 16/17 year olds making out in trucks (and heavens forbid, if it goes further later), the only thing I *actually* didn’t like the amount of slut shaming there was mentioned. I don’t know if Willow was trying to do like, a subtle commentary about how bad slut shaming is but I think it missed the mark if that’s the case. The FMC has major disdain for her mom and the “known promiscuity of witches”, saying all witches are usually sluts, and it just rubbed me the wrong way. There’s a heavy dose of “not like other girls” and that rankled, I really would like to see authors move away from that trope/mindset. But I really don’t think the FMCs attitude reflects Willow’s personal feelings, so don’t get me wrong, she writes reverse harem novels for Pete’s sake. I just think if it’s going to be mentioned so much it should be more clear it’s not in support of, if that’s the case.
I really want to emphasize that other than that this was a very enjoyable read and I will absolutely be looking forward to the next one (and whatever else comes from Willow’s beautiful brain in the future).
The prickly FMC was a breath of fresh air compared to the standard “bubbly, perfect, everyone loves her” that can get repetitive in RH stories, although I admit I did find her teenage antics a little annoying at times. But it’s a testament to how well Willow writes that I reacted towards Harriet the same way I would my younger sibling acting the same way. It’s realistic. And while I wish Willow would write older MCs for personal reasons, I think she writes YA/NA very well.
Circe was a huge highlight and I truly adored Owen, which tugged at my heart strings for a personal reason unrelated, and I enjoyed Spencer & Ryan’s characters a lot too. Mattie grew on me, Nolan has not. His heels remained dug in too long and he didn’t really redeem himself yet, although the sincere apology was a good start. I really hope that Ryan gets some sort of Casper & the Lazarus storyline in the future because while it would make for a large harem, I love him and his adoration of Harriet (and I wouldn’t mind some MM action between Ryan and maybe Spence or Nolan). There were a lot of great supporting characters but I won’t spoil too much. And the stuff with her mom? Let’s just say I started channeling my own inner angsty teen when it came to the stuff with her.
As for the rest — I’m really curious to see where the witches council aspect ends. And I really hope that Amethyst gets what’s coming to her 😤
Aside from wishing the characters were older because I feel a bit ick being in my 30s reading about 16/17 year olds making out in trucks (and heavens forbid, if it goes further later), the only thing I *actually* didn’t like the amount of slut shaming there was mentioned. I don’t know if Willow was trying to do like, a subtle commentary about how bad slut shaming is but I think it missed the mark if that’s the case. The FMC has major disdain for her mom and the “known promiscuity of witches”, saying all witches are usually sluts, and it just rubbed me the wrong way. There’s a heavy dose of “not like other girls” and that rankled, I really would like to see authors move away from that trope/mindset. But I really don’t think the FMCs attitude reflects Willow’s personal feelings, so don’t get me wrong, she writes reverse harem novels for Pete’s sake. I just think if it’s going to be mentioned so much it should be more clear it’s not in support of, if that’s the case.
I really want to emphasize that other than that this was a very enjoyable read and I will absolutely be looking forward to the next one (and whatever else comes from Willow’s beautiful brain in the future).
January 29, 2023
This author has done it again! I have read every single thing by her and am never disappointed, and she has delivered another A+ piece of work with Shadows and Curses and I can't recommend it enough. Not only is it unique from her other books and a fresh read, but it is also an enjoyable and fresh read in general!
It is very much a starter book to a series, and is slow burn, so it has some milld heat, but it is not spicy or smutty (yet!). Plot wise, it was well done in that things moved slowly enough for everything to be introduced in a way that didn't feel overwhelming, but was fast enough that it still felt like quite a lot happened in just this book!
Things to note:
-it is RH, so the FMC will be with more than one love interest by the end of the series
-It is paranormal, she is a witch, living in a town that is populated heavily but not completely by witches, everyone else has powers, she seemingly doesn't, but can see and interact with ghosts.
-It is sweet and fun and not an over-complicated read, but it is a little different than what I've come to associate with Willow Hadley books***
-There is real push and pull between characters, with miscommunications, arguments, and things of the like, so it feels very authentic and realistic.
***to further explain: Willow Hadley has three other existing series at the moment, and within those, the MMCs were almost immediately affectionate with the FMC, and things heated up quickly, or were swoony/steamy, or very very clearly headed there. (Charlotte Reynolds series is a slow burn, so it isn't steamy, but the men will still give you toothaches, Cricket Kendall series was med. burn, had one holdout who was a little slower, but on the whole, they were all gooey cinnamon rolls towards her, and things heated up eventually [this is planned to be a larger series, so it took a few more books to develop the intro], and for the Of Monsters and Moons series, things heated up very very quickly, and there was some emotional holdout and unavailability, but at the end of the day, all were swoony and sweet with her). So what I am trying to say is this book was amazing, but definitely had less of a toothache vibe, because the MMCs relationships and dynamics with her are developing very differently compared to what you may expect from a Willow Hadley book, but I promise it is still worth it! This book gives a fresh look at ghosts and witches and the like, but still has a vibe of realness within all the interactions and dynamics between every single character.
It is very much a starter book to a series, and is slow burn, so it has some milld heat, but it is not spicy or smutty (yet!). Plot wise, it was well done in that things moved slowly enough for everything to be introduced in a way that didn't feel overwhelming, but was fast enough that it still felt like quite a lot happened in just this book!
Things to note:
-it is RH, so the FMC will be with more than one love interest by the end of the series
-It is paranormal, she is a witch, living in a town that is populated heavily but not completely by witches, everyone else has powers, she seemingly doesn't, but can see and interact with ghosts.
-It is sweet and fun and not an over-complicated read, but it is a little different than what I've come to associate with Willow Hadley books***
-There is real push and pull between characters, with miscommunications, arguments, and things of the like, so it feels very authentic and realistic.
***to further explain: Willow Hadley has three other existing series at the moment, and within those, the MMCs were almost immediately affectionate with the FMC, and things heated up quickly, or were swoony/steamy, or very very clearly headed there. (Charlotte Reynolds series is a slow burn, so it isn't steamy, but the men will still give you toothaches, Cricket Kendall series was med. burn, had one holdout who was a little slower, but on the whole, they were all gooey cinnamon rolls towards her, and things heated up eventually [this is planned to be a larger series, so it took a few more books to develop the intro], and for the Of Monsters and Moons series, things heated up very very quickly, and there was some emotional holdout and unavailability, but at the end of the day, all were swoony and sweet with her). So what I am trying to say is this book was amazing, but definitely had less of a toothache vibe, because the MMCs relationships and dynamics with her are developing very differently compared to what you may expect from a Willow Hadley book, but I promise it is still worth it! This book gives a fresh look at ghosts and witches and the like, but still has a vibe of realness within all the interactions and dynamics between every single character.
January 20, 2023
*RH
*paranormal
*multi-pov
*established harem (4?)
*slow burn 🔥
*friends to lovers
*unusal witch FMC
*human friends
*ghost hunting
*1/?
Spooky sweet slowburn 👻
So I generally read very dark mid/fast burn RH, not a sweet and soft slow burn gal, but I read the blurb and really liked the premise, so I gave it a shot and is it bad to say I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did? 🙈
The story follows Harriet who is uprooted to Weeping Hollow by her mother, who honestly the less said about that (let’s just say it rhymes with witch) the better, after the curse on her grandmothers house has lifted and they can finally enter! Weeping Hollow seems to be the epicentre for witches which spells bad news for Harriet as the other witches definitely do not make her welcome 😬
It’s in this town that Harriet’s unusual abilities to see ghosts really comes to ‘life’ as they seem to be cropping up everywhere and they raise a whole other set of questions about Harriet’s abilities….which we get to see develop over the book but I have a feeling she’s not quite reached her full potential yet!
What’s more is that these ghost are bringing their own mysteries with them, that may actually be placing Harriet in a precarious position, but you can’t help but love and feel for them 🥺
Thankfully Harriet has made friends, albeit begrudgingly - she does not like people 😂😂 - that seem to accept her quirkiness and even encourage it as they happen to be paranormal investigators! It’s clear that some of these guys have feelings for Harriett and they way they developed gave me a smushiness I am NOT used to, it’s real puppy love going on 😍 although it’s not all plain sailing, with some not knowing of the witchy world, mixed signals and jumping to conclusions, there’s a fair bit of awkwardness going on!
And of course we cannot forget Ryan…he can come be my ghost bestie any day! 😁
It will be interesting to see where this goes with what they have discovered about the ghosts and witches, as well as their burgeoning relationships 👍🏻
*paranormal
*multi-pov
*established harem (4?)
*slow burn 🔥
*friends to lovers
*unusal witch FMC
*human friends
*ghost hunting
*1/?
Spooky sweet slowburn 👻
So I generally read very dark mid/fast burn RH, not a sweet and soft slow burn gal, but I read the blurb and really liked the premise, so I gave it a shot and is it bad to say I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did? 🙈
The story follows Harriet who is uprooted to Weeping Hollow by her mother, who honestly the less said about that (let’s just say it rhymes with witch) the better, after the curse on her grandmothers house has lifted and they can finally enter! Weeping Hollow seems to be the epicentre for witches which spells bad news for Harriet as the other witches definitely do not make her welcome 😬
It’s in this town that Harriet’s unusual abilities to see ghosts really comes to ‘life’ as they seem to be cropping up everywhere and they raise a whole other set of questions about Harriet’s abilities….which we get to see develop over the book but I have a feeling she’s not quite reached her full potential yet!
What’s more is that these ghost are bringing their own mysteries with them, that may actually be placing Harriet in a precarious position, but you can’t help but love and feel for them 🥺
Thankfully Harriet has made friends, albeit begrudgingly - she does not like people 😂😂 - that seem to accept her quirkiness and even encourage it as they happen to be paranormal investigators! It’s clear that some of these guys have feelings for Harriett and they way they developed gave me a smushiness I am NOT used to, it’s real puppy love going on 😍 although it’s not all plain sailing, with some not knowing of the witchy world, mixed signals and jumping to conclusions, there’s a fair bit of awkwardness going on!
And of course we cannot forget Ryan…he can come be my ghost bestie any day! 😁
It will be interesting to see where this goes with what they have discovered about the ghosts and witches, as well as their burgeoning relationships 👍🏻
January 27, 2023
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Mystery With a Side of Sweet
Similar to her Charlotte Reynolds series, Shadows and Curses is more in the YA category - at least book one. Our characters are in their junior year of high school and still have some sweet innocence to them which I thoroughly enjoyed reading their sweet and sometimes awkward interactions. A few moments totally caught me off guard and I either burst out laughing or groaning. Not going to lie, I experienced some real secondhand embarrassment during certain scenes. Lol 😂
In this first installment, we're introduced to Harriet (fmc). Harriet is a Witch with a unique ability in that she can see ghosts. I really enjoyed Harriet as an fmc. She's young, so she has the normal insecurities of youth, but - for reasons you'll come to understand - she has also been excluded from the broader Witch community for so long that she has developed a strong backbone and her own moral code which I greatly admired.
Upon moving to a new town in her Junior year, Harriet meets a group of guys who are friends and who are immediately fascinated and interested in her, and more importantly, have their own fascination with the paranormal. 👀 😱💀👻
There was quite a bit of mystery and intrigue in this first book, and it kept me absolutely riveted. Some plot points we get resolution to in this first book, and frankly I was relieved because I was starting to feel antsy about how long certain info would take to come out to the guys (Owen, Mattie, Spencer, Nolan), but the most critical things I wanted to see come to light, things that would really help the relationships and the story advance in book two, come to light and that made me HAPPY! The mysteries we're left with are downright fascinating and I highlighted several scenes so I can remember what my theories are.
If you enjoy meeting characters who are unique, sweet budding relationships of youth, mystery that definitely has some creepiness to it, you will thoroughly enjoy this book.
Similar to her Charlotte Reynolds series, Shadows and Curses is more in the YA category - at least book one. Our characters are in their junior year of high school and still have some sweet innocence to them which I thoroughly enjoyed reading their sweet and sometimes awkward interactions. A few moments totally caught me off guard and I either burst out laughing or groaning. Not going to lie, I experienced some real secondhand embarrassment during certain scenes. Lol 😂
In this first installment, we're introduced to Harriet (fmc). Harriet is a Witch with a unique ability in that she can see ghosts. I really enjoyed Harriet as an fmc. She's young, so she has the normal insecurities of youth, but - for reasons you'll come to understand - she has also been excluded from the broader Witch community for so long that she has developed a strong backbone and her own moral code which I greatly admired.
Upon moving to a new town in her Junior year, Harriet meets a group of guys who are friends and who are immediately fascinated and interested in her, and more importantly, have their own fascination with the paranormal. 👀 😱💀👻
There was quite a bit of mystery and intrigue in this first book, and it kept me absolutely riveted. Some plot points we get resolution to in this first book, and frankly I was relieved because I was starting to feel antsy about how long certain info would take to come out to the guys (Owen, Mattie, Spencer, Nolan), but the most critical things I wanted to see come to light, things that would really help the relationships and the story advance in book two, come to light and that made me HAPPY! The mysteries we're left with are downright fascinating and I highlighted several scenes so I can remember what my theories are.
If you enjoy meeting characters who are unique, sweet budding relationships of youth, mystery that definitely has some creepiness to it, you will thoroughly enjoy this book.
February 1, 2023
Okay, the author has done it once again. After reading her three other series with more than 8 books out in total, I knew this was going to be just as amazingly written as the others too.
And, I wasn't disappointed at all.....especially, since the premise of the story was great, had some of my favorite tropes....slow-burn, friends-to-lovers, small town, witch/humans, spooky halloween vibe. The blurb sounded interesting, and so did the cover of the book.
Let me say this, I am a fan of beautifully designed chapter headers. Ohh, when I saw the black cat underneath each chapter header, that was so cute... Also, yes the cat plays a role in the story. I absolutely loved her and our main character, Harriet's, what I would call as beginning of their friendship.
Few things to list why this book was such a worthy read, without giving away any spoilers:-
▪︎ Female protagonist, Harriet unlike any other I have read. She isn't some over-the-top sweet, innocent, naive girl...but, snarky, moody and very relatable teenager. So, to read about someone like that to go over her life making new friends and adding new people into her life who she cares about, was amazing.
▪︎ The guys, what I do say, the author writes characters that we are bound to fall in love with. Owen and Ryan are my favorites. Spencer will come close second. But, that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy reading about Mattie and Nolan. No, in fact I am excited to see how their journey is going to be. Love their bromance. Nolan is so protective of his friends, it's so cute.
▪︎ I liked that the story takes place in a small town with rich paranormal history. The spook factor is just beautifully written. Some of the moments were scary yet so mysterious and at the same time, not too horrifying that one would be scared to continue. So, even for those who don't normally enjoy horror, they can still read the book because the plot is seriously good.
▪︎I am hoping that we will get more of Abbot house history in the future. Really curious to see more of the guys investigations.
▪︎Circe!!! ...... love the black cat 😁
▪︎Even though this is the first book in the series, it doesn't end in a cliffhanger.
▪︎Reading experience - was smooth, easily comprehensible words. I didn't find any grammatical errors either.
Thank you Willow Hadley for this story, looking forward to the next one whenever it comes out.
And, I wasn't disappointed at all.....especially, since the premise of the story was great, had some of my favorite tropes....slow-burn, friends-to-lovers, small town, witch/humans, spooky halloween vibe. The blurb sounded interesting, and so did the cover of the book.
Let me say this, I am a fan of beautifully designed chapter headers. Ohh, when I saw the black cat underneath each chapter header, that was so cute... Also, yes the cat plays a role in the story. I absolutely loved her and our main character, Harriet's, what I would call as beginning of their friendship.
Few things to list why this book was such a worthy read, without giving away any spoilers:-
▪︎ Female protagonist, Harriet unlike any other I have read. She isn't some over-the-top sweet, innocent, naive girl...but, snarky, moody and very relatable teenager. So, to read about someone like that to go over her life making new friends and adding new people into her life who she cares about, was amazing.
▪︎ The guys, what I do say, the author writes characters that we are bound to fall in love with. Owen and Ryan are my favorites. Spencer will come close second. But, that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy reading about Mattie and Nolan. No, in fact I am excited to see how their journey is going to be. Love their bromance. Nolan is so protective of his friends, it's so cute.
▪︎ I liked that the story takes place in a small town with rich paranormal history. The spook factor is just beautifully written. Some of the moments were scary yet so mysterious and at the same time, not too horrifying that one would be scared to continue. So, even for those who don't normally enjoy horror, they can still read the book because the plot is seriously good.
▪︎I am hoping that we will get more of Abbot house history in the future. Really curious to see more of the guys investigations.
▪︎Circe!!! ...... love the black cat 😁
▪︎Even though this is the first book in the series, it doesn't end in a cliffhanger.
▪︎Reading experience - was smooth, easily comprehensible words. I didn't find any grammatical errors either.
Thank you Willow Hadley for this story, looking forward to the next one whenever it comes out.
February 9, 2023
I absolutely loved reading this story. From the very first page these character's had me hooked. This is a new arthur for me and after reading the blurb I knew I had to read it, and I'm so glad I did.
This is book 1 in the sleepy lil town of Weeping Hollow where thing's are not what they seem and magic and secrets are kept hidden.
At first I didn't know what to think about Harriet she was just so untrusting and suspicious of everyone, but the more I read of the story it all started making sense. Phew her mom is something else, her and Harriet don't have the best relationship and I can see why after the thing's that are said and done, but under that front Harriet puts on, she's just a teenager who's a softie and cares deeply oh and can see ghost. But I'm beginning to wonder though if she's so much more than a witch who can't do magic.
Then you have the boy's Spencer, Owen, Mattie and Nolan. These 4 have been friend's for a very long time and all share the same love of the paranormal, and when Harriet moves to Weeping Hollow specially the Abbott house they’re beyond excited and her being hot and goes to their school, well, that's like the icing on the cake to them.
This is a slow burn RH like real slow, but then they're nerds what can you expect 😂 they are the sweetest boy's who take thing's in stride no matter how strange.
Then there's Ryan the ghost boy it's so easy to fall in love with him. I would love by some miracle hint hint that he could be lying in a coma and alive that's why he look's like a ghost, but time is running out and they have to solve the mystery of what happened to put him in a coma 😂 yeh I know wishful thinking, but I cannot wait for the next book to find out what's happening next.
This is book 1 in the sleepy lil town of Weeping Hollow where thing's are not what they seem and magic and secrets are kept hidden.
At first I didn't know what to think about Harriet she was just so untrusting and suspicious of everyone, but the more I read of the story it all started making sense. Phew her mom is something else, her and Harriet don't have the best relationship and I can see why after the thing's that are said and done, but under that front Harriet puts on, she's just a teenager who's a softie and cares deeply oh and can see ghost. But I'm beginning to wonder though if she's so much more than a witch who can't do magic.
Then you have the boy's Spencer, Owen, Mattie and Nolan. These 4 have been friend's for a very long time and all share the same love of the paranormal, and when Harriet moves to Weeping Hollow specially the Abbott house they’re beyond excited and her being hot and goes to their school, well, that's like the icing on the cake to them.
This is a slow burn RH like real slow, but then they're nerds what can you expect 😂 they are the sweetest boy's who take thing's in stride no matter how strange.
Then there's Ryan the ghost boy it's so easy to fall in love with him. I would love by some miracle hint hint that he could be lying in a coma and alive that's why he look's like a ghost, but time is running out and they have to solve the mystery of what happened to put him in a coma 😂 yeh I know wishful thinking, but I cannot wait for the next book to find out what's happening next.
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