Hooked on Books discussion

Members Starting the BR: Jackie & Kirsten / Quill Questers
Challenge: Book Quest Adventures
Book: The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman


Anyone is free to join in this Buddy Read! Happy Reading!

I started today and have finished Chapter 1, a very long chapter and one that broke my heart. I always forget how beautiful Alice Hoffman's writing is and how much I love it.

(view spoiler)[I can't imagine how anyone could write more beautifully about someone's last week of life. I love all the Owens women and their stories. Losing a major character is so difficult that I feel a personal loss. (hide spoiler)]

I am reading one book for Spell because I feel so guilty, but I should finish that today and start this tomorrow.

I have also really slowed down. I am actually doing my job instead of just reading. I am NOT reading a book a day right now.

I don't think I have ever cried harder than I did reading At Risk, btw. Also Here on Earth. Also Fortune's Daughter. I love her writing about mothers and daughters.

I have only read about a half dozen books by her. And none of the ones you mentioned. I'm not sure why because I like her writing so much. I need to focus on her more.

I want to take my time with this book so I'm alternating between it and another. I'm up to Part 2 Chapter 3. Loving the characters and the story.

I read her tons in college, so those are earlier works. I’m excited to jump in.

I finished last night. I'm sad that this is the last book about the Owens family.

(view spoiler)[An excellent conclusion to the series although sad that the series is over. It was especially good to see Sally and Gillian get their happy endings. Even Vincent found a new love. And Kylie and Antonia got their heart's desire as well. Tom made a good villain and brought the suspense to the story as Kylie was drawn into Tom's black magic. No surprise that Sally and Franny were the true heroines of the story. I think the beginning and ending were my favorite parts. Beautifully written and lovely characters. (hide spoiler)]

I have just not had much time to read, but I did manage to get halfway through this.

And I love the Owens family. This is an excellent book. I am so glad you choose it and so glad I jumped on it with you. I don't know if I would have picked it up on my own.

And if you like Hoffman, how can you say you don't like romance?

I'm loving doing these buddy reads. And loved this book.

I guess I shouldn't say I don't like romance. I do like a good love story. As far as romance is concerned for me, I like books where it's like a side story and not the main one. Or if the book is written well, as Hoffman does. And if there is true romance with a good love story and not sex scenes on every other page. I've found that most books called romance don't fit these requirements.

And of course I do read books that I don't particularly like to fill a challenge so I end up reading "romance" books fairly often anyway. Just not my preference.

I do understand your distinction. I love a good sex scene (though not a bad one, and not where they are a substitute for everything else, and heaven knows I skip them). And these are definitely stories that have more than romance going on. But I was just thinking, because they are so much about love, that it was a little surprising for you.

One of my favorite tropes in any romance is the lover who moves heaven and earth for the beloved. In films, I think of The Last of the Mohicans as the paradigm--when Hawkeye promises to do anything to find Cora as long as she stays alive. And honestly, in romance, is usually the man who'll do anything. I LOVED that Kylie was willing to whatever it took to save Gideon, and I loved that the curse was finally broken.

I also really liked that Franny died, tbh. I know that both she and Jet had huge loves for other people, but I liked that after Jet died, Franny chose to sacrifice herself for the family. I am going to go back and read Rules of Magic, because I really want Vincent's back story, and I want to know more about those siblings.

I thought Tom was an interesting character, and I could honestly relate to his pain and understood why Kylie was drawn to him (though I knew she'd reject him in the end). Given the way Hoffman so often writes mothers who will sacrifice, I wasn't surprised to see Sally's choices.

I don’t mind a sex scene if the story and romance are good. I do mind when sex takes over the book. It seems to me that many authors put too much emphasis on sex and not romance. And I think that’s because it’s easier to write. Just my opinion. I’m old and set in my ways. Lol

Kirsten wrote: "One of my favorite tropes in any romance is the lover who moves heaven and earth for the beloved. In films, I think of The Last of the Mohicans as the paradigm--when Hawkeye promises to do anything..."

Yes, love and sacrifice are the main themes throughout the book. This is a true romance to me. I also loved that Kylie was willing to go to whatever lengths necessary even to get involved in black magic, not knowing what might be required of her. And Sally who never wanted her magic was one of the most powerful and was willing to use it to save her daughter and ultimately lose that power. And Franny, I loved that she sacrificed herself to save her family. Such a beautiful story.

I’ve read all the Practical Magic series but would enjoy doing rereads if you wanted to buddy read any of them. Or actually other Alice Hoffman books as well.

Let's see what comes up--I would definitely read some of her more recent books in the next months. I bet we could suck Amanda into these as well.

That would be fun.

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