Challenge Corner discussion

The Owens sisters confront the challenges of life and love in this bewitching novel from New York Times bestselling author Alice Hoffman.

For more than two hundred years, the Owens women have been blamed for everything that has gone wrong in their Massachusetts town. Gillian and Sally have endured that fate as well: as children, the sisters were forever outsiders, taunted, talked about, pointed at. Their elderly aunts almost seemed to encourage the whispers of witchery, with their musty house and their exotic concoctions and their crowd of black cats. But all Gillian and Sally wanted was to escape.

One will do so by marrying, the other by running away. But the bonds they share will bring them back—almost as if by magic...

are yall starting w 1 or the 2 prequels? Magic lessons and rules of magic?

I'm going to start with Magic Lessons since that's listed as #0.1

Same. I read Rules of Magic a while ago and it was really good so i'm sure the first one is too. I'll still reread Rules of Magic with you guys though cause I don't really remember much, just that I liked it.

I'm probably going to read in publication order but we will see.

THROUGH PART 1 MAGIC LESSONS-(view spoiler)[ I am finding this book starting very slooooowww. Hopefully more comes out of it than how great Maria is. (hide spoiler)]

THROUGH PART 3 CHAPTER 1: (view spoiler)[if Maria is in love with Sam , why would she Curse the Owens woman forever? Isn't she the one that has cursed them? that if they loved someone, they must die? This doesn't make sense? Is it because this was written after Book 1 and its a timing thing? (hide spoiler)]

THROUGH PART 3-I am enjoying Faith's story. The book seems to have picked up some. Maybe its jsut Maria I don't like, lol

Finished- can’t wait to hear what y’all think of this prequel. Does it seem as interesting to u as main book? Am I just overwhelmed with the back story? Should I have read in different order? I am intrigued to find out if all of the plants/concoctions are truly medicinal remedies. I know there are so many things that are all natural that were magical or of the witches previously! Will have to do some research

I think I might start it tomorrow! Possibly tonight if I finish Outlander 😊

I started today!

Chapter 1 & 2:

(view spoiler)[ I just want to say I really hope nothing happens to the crow 😩 they way they're setting it up, I feel like something will (hide spoiler)]

-through part 1
I am really liking these kids, Jet, Vincent, and Frances. I like that each one is special in their own way and are figuring out their talents together.

Amanda wrote: "I started today!"

which book did you start with?

Carrie wrote: "Amanda wrote: "I started today!"

which book did you start with?"

With book #1 Magic Lessons!

part 2-I can't believe she(view spoiler)[killed Levi so soon, and the trauma of their planned night at the plaza forever embedded in her heart. I am enjoying this one much more than I did the first book, but it is a bit slow. Reading more like a biography of the three than a story. Maybe I will need this background for the next books. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

In five-OMG(view spoiler)[Vincent is dead?!?!?! It was him that died not his love. Did I miss something? Did he do this to himself? Why? I know it was so hard on him being homosexual in the time, but he was in love. I feel so bad for them all. Ok, after rereading, I see it is a hoax to get out of his draft. It seems so extreme, but I know many men chose to escape war. War is so cruel (hide spoiler)]

Finished-oh wow(view spoiler)[What a sad ending. I guess we knew the curse was going to continue because that is what the main book is about I think. I was hoping one of them would get around the curse and Vincent was away from his sisters for over 30 years. I didn't really understand that. Did he go into hiding with William because the war(my first thought) or because of his sexuality. France was more accepting back then but he could have returned if that was the case. (hide spoiler)] So far not a real big fan of this series! But will continue for the Halloween spirit if anything.

Through the end of part 2:

I'm liking the book so far. I'm also listening to the audiobook as I'm reading the book, and I like the narrator a lot. I think this can sometimes make a big difference with a book. (view spoiler)[ @Carrie - it is a lot of like story building, I guess Hoffman is trying to set up the history for the rest of the series so I could see why some may find it boring. I kind of like the recipes listed from the grimoire and the worldbuilding. I find it kind of cozy. I also appreciate how it portrays the treatment of women in that era and how those who defied societal norms were treated.
What do you think it was about Maria that you didn't like as much? I'm still where the story is mostly about Maria, so can't compare it yet to when it switches more to Faith.

& wow, I just looked up John Harthorn and found out he was a real person that was one of the leading judges in the Salem Witch Trials. He's such a POS. I would think that, at the very least, he wouldn't want Maria to be prosecuted for the sake of his daughter, but apparently not.

I'm also curious how the curse is going to impact Samuel? It seemed like Maria said it impulsively out of anger when she saw John in the crowd and maybe wasn't thinking about Sam. I hope he doesn't have bad fortune as a result cause I really like him :(

I haven't read Practical Magic or seen the movie, lol. Does the curse mean that they will die or just have bad luck in life?

I also knew the crow was going to die :( & how they found Keeper in the basement made me so upset. I'm glad he's alive though. (hide spoiler)]

Through end of part 4:

(view spoiler)[ Faith is pissing me off. I do empathize with what she went through and understand her anger, and I know she is only a child, but I felt so disappointed when she started to turn towards black magic - and sad that what Martha did to her turned her into a hurt and angry child from one that was so sweet and sensitive.

But, she pissed me off when she gave the tenth love potion to Finney. It was like she was just choosing to do what she knew she shouldn't do out of spite and resentment, not thinking of the consequences for Finney. I hope that it works out in the end for him 😕

The part where she said that part of her wishes someone saved from the path she had taken was heartbreaking too. The sensitive sweet soul is still in there somewhere, but her anger is protecting her from being vulnerable again 😔 (hide spoiler)]

Part 4 - End:

(view spoiler)[ aw, I really liked this book 🥹 I found it to be touching.

I'm glad that Faith returned to herself, even if that meant she had to break from magic. Since, I haven't watched the movie or read the books, I'm curious to see how the curse is going to affect her family moving forward. Especially since she now encourages them to fall in love lol (hide spoiler)]

Amanda wrote: "

Part 4 - End:

aw, I really liked this book 🥹 I found it to be touching.

I'm glad that Faith returned to herself, even if that meant she had to break from mag..."

I also went in totally blind. I liked the book, it was just a bit slow moving, but it did get better towards the end❤️

Started -so far enjoying however I was surprised how quickly the F word was used. I don’t recall that in the prequels.

through page 73-Jimmy doesn't seem like a good guy at all. Rude. I have never seen the movie, but may watch it tonight.

through about 85-Wasn't expecting that. (view spoiler)[So Gillian has poisoned and killed Jimmy? I guess her potion skills are abit off. lol (hide spoiler)]

about 50%-More Maria, ugh(view spoiler)[ok so I know Book 1 and 2 were both written after this one, so not all the Maria info would have been known, but to me, it is just too much Maria. She hasn't been my favorite in any of the books so far. I understand that without her, there would have been no curse, and then no story. But there has been more story than just the love curse. (hide spoiler)]

finished-nothing like movie that I just watched.
(view spoiler)[The book is definitely less about witchcraft and more about healing, forgiveness, and finding your place in the world being different than the "norm". (hide spoiler)]

Started

Through 1-(view spoiler)[ I believe that it would be absolutely terrible to know you only had 7 exact days to live. How would you decide what all to do and squeeze in that amount of finate time? It is said that Jet is gone, she was one of my favorites in the stories. (hide spoiler)]

Through 2-(view spoiler)[ I have always felt sorry for Raphael. It had to be hard to leave her every time they met in the hotel. He knew that Jet loved him though and I am glad she FINALLY expressed it in words. It was sweet of him to make it to the funeral and come to the house and take Daisy with him for not to be alone. (hide spoiler)]

THROUGH PART 5:2-(view spoiler)[ so all the book took to come apart was to be dropped in the water, lol, who would have thought that moisture would fix it when they had been so careful of moisture in the past. (hide spoiler)]

FINISHED-This by far was my favorite of the books. I liked how it wrapped it all up. I also love how strong the sister's love is and has been through the generations. This is not only a book about witches, but about family!

starting the second one today!

I'm only about 50 pages in but it's so different reading it this time, having read Magic Lessons first. It adds so much more to the story

Part 1: Intuition

(view spoiler)[ I found Vincent’s feelings about himself really interesting—how he said he didn’t recognize himself when he looked in the mirror, how he feels like he has two parts of himself, and how he describes that sense of emptiness. When he looked in the mirror and saw both a man and a girl, it made me wonder if he might be gay, or maybe hasn’t fully acknowledged it within himself yet—but in that moment, he knew. The emptiness he described when sleeping with women also made me think this. Just my theory and my psychologist mind psychoanalyzing everything 😅 I could be totally wrong though!

I also really like how each sibling has such a distinct personality. I always love when books do that because I find myself thinking about who I resonate with the most. So far, I think I connect most with Jet—sensitive and emotional, but also strong and strong-willed. How about you guys? Do you resonate with any of them in particular? (hide spoiler)]

Part 2: Alchemy

I'll write more of my thoughts later but just wanted to say (view spoiler)[ part 2 was so sad omg 😔 so much loss (hide spoiler)]

Part 2:

(view spoiler)[i feel so bad for all of them but especially Jet. She’s the most sensitive one too :( I knew she was going to blame herself and that it would take a great toll on her. I can’t imagine losing both parents and your partner at the same time. I also feel bad for Franny. I hate the fact she won’t go to college and that she has to say goodbye to Haylin and her crow 😔 she became a parentified child overnight (hide spoiler)]

Part 1 => (view spoiler)[I'm enjoying the background so far. I've never read anything by this author, but I'm intrigued.

I feel like things with John are not going to go well, and this is where Maria's age and her naivety are showing through.

Samuel is probably a better choice. (hide spoiler)]

Part 2 => (view spoiler)[I'll be honest, I almost DNF'd when Maria got arrested and Marsha took Faith. I'm so not in a headspace right now for something like this. However, I decided to keep going with it and am glad I did. I like that Samuel came back. I really hope that he sticks with Maria. I have no doubt she will get Faith back, but I have a bad feeling it will be YEARS down the road...ugh. I hope not, but I don't think I'll be that lucky. (hide spoiler)]

Jamie wrote: "
Part 2 => [spoilers removed]"

that part really pmo too lol like (view spoiler)[ why would you give her to her .. (hide spoiler)]

Part 2 - End

I didn't comment for a while bc there wasn't chapters which I didn't like lol but here's a list of thoughts I wrote down:
(view spoiler)[

They really experienced so much loss. They literally lost everyone they ever loved except Jet and Franny had each other at least. I feel like the main theme of this book was grief and loss. Different types of loss too. I resonated with a lot of it. Idk if I'm just super emotional this week for some reason but I felt like I was crying throughout the whole book lol

My heart was also warmed in part 5 by Jet and the Reverend's relationship. How they connected through their grief despite his has longstanding hatred for them and the way he overcame that was touching. Like when he was worried about her when she didn't show up to the cemetery and he tried to connect with her over the weather lol

My theory about Vincent being gay was correct and it honestly makes a lot of sense. I think Hoffman did a good job of portraying how someone who hasn't figured out their sexuality or came out yet might feel.

I also appreciated the way Hoffman used magical realism to portray real defenses against trauma or difficult situations. Like when Vincent was in jail and he "teleported" out of his body to California. It's implied that this is bc of magic (souls teleported other times in the book) -- but this actually can happen when someone dissociates during a traumatic event. Where they feel like they physically leave their body and are watching themselves. Idk if this was intentional on Hoffman's part, I feel like it was. (hide spoiler)]

Amanda wrote: "Part 2 => [spoilers removed]"

that part really pmo too lol like [spoilers removed]"

YES!!!! It's like (view spoiler)[she can feel that there is bad and she ignores it. She has Hannah's voice in her head telling her the right thing to do, and nope she doesn't listen.

Everything with John really pissed me off too, because she KNEW that she was getting bad vibes and she still stayed. She's doing really dumb and stupid stuff on purpose for a good bit there.

Then I have to remind myself that she's like what, 18? (hide spoiler)]

Part 3 => (view spoiler)[I'm a little frustrated with Maria and how she is with Samuel. I hate that she won't trust it, but yet I get it at the same time. I feel really bad for Samuel, because I don't think he would do her wrong. (hide spoiler)]

Part 4 => (view spoiler)[ I get why Faith is the way she is now. I can't imagine getting taken from your mother and being gone for years, mentally abused by someone. I'm sure you would lose faith in humanity. Sad that she's gone to the dark side though.

It seems like these witches, while smart with spells and whatnot, aren't so smart with everyday life. (hide spoiler)]

Part 5 - end => (view spoiler)[Ok, I'm not going to lie. I was really nervous about how this was going to end. I didn't expect Samuel to come back from the dead and then still be ok. I didn't expect them to actually have a baby together. I love that!!!

I did expect Faith to come back from the black magic, though. I'm glad she seemed to learn her lesson, accept that she couldn't use magic, and just embrace life really.

I'm surprisingly shocked that I ended up liking this one, lol (hide spoiler)]

keeping alive...

keeping alive...

keeping alive...