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dbence's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
buer's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Neither Savvy or Griffin were looking for love, but somehow they found it in each other in spite of themselves. Fast forward a year later to their wedding day, both learn the unthinkable about each other - they are a witchy Romeo and Juliet - witch and witch hunter. Is their love strong enough to overcome their warring factions? Which will win out? Soulmate or career?
This is an easy book to read. Told in alternating chapters of character perspectives and alternating sections of present moment and flashback, this is a book that easily pulls the reader along. Bond created an interesting, modernized magical world where Medusas are instagram influencers,magic-harvesting technology exists, and familiars can shape shift between their exotic and domestic counterparts. Savvy is every inch an empowering woman and Griffin her perfect counterpart as a self-assured man whose ego is never threatened by Savvy's leadership qualities and height.
That said, Bond struggles to balance the action/adventure with the romance of her novel. Three times in the middle of trying to save their worlds, themselves, and their relationship, the pair peels off to have sex. One time it made sense to me. The other two felt like misplaced fan service that messed with the flow of the story.
I also found it weird that the stakes of the fighting were always so low (weapons consistently incapacitate instead of killing) but culminated in a very abrupt murder by our leading man, which seemed like it wasn't supposed to bother us. Sure, the victim might have been one of the arch villains, but when he is the only casualty in a book full of action it feels weird.
Overall, I think this book is fine. I enjoyed the first three quarters or so. I'd recommend it for people who really like strong female leads and modern day magic.
This is an easy book to read. Told in alternating chapters of character perspectives and alternating sections of present moment and flashback, this is a book that easily pulls the reader along. Bond created an interesting, modernized magical world where Medusas are instagram influencers,magic-harvesting technology exists, and familiars can shape shift between their exotic and domestic counterparts. Savvy is every inch an empowering woman and Griffin her perfect counterpart as a self-assured man whose ego is never threatened by Savvy's leadership qualities and height.
That said, Bond struggles to balance the action/adventure with the romance of her novel. Three times in the middle of trying to save their worlds, themselves, and their relationship, the pair peels off to have sex. One time it made sense to me. The other two felt like misplaced fan service that messed with the flow of the story.
I also found it weird that the stakes of the fighting were always so low (weapons consistently incapacitate instead of killing) but culminated in a very abrupt murder by our leading man, which seemed like it wasn't supposed to bother us. Sure, the victim might have been one of the arch villains, but when he is the only casualty in a book full of action it feels weird.
Overall, I think this book is fine. I enjoyed the first three quarters or so. I'd recommend it for people who really like strong female leads and modern day magic.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Murder
Minor: Violence
amberinpieces's review
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Blood, Murder, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Cursing, and Death
cover2covertx's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Mr. & Mrs. Witch felt like Mr. & Mrs. Smith meets old school Sabrina the Teenage Witch or Bewitched. It definitely had the cozy, witchy romance vibe down very well with an added sprinkle of suspense and espionage.
The book was really well marketed and the plot was how it was described in the blurb. I feel like this book will be great for fans of Go Hex Yourself and The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. The characters are fun, the romance isn't just a side plot which I think happens a lot w/ the cozy witchy romances lately that are similar in idea.
I enjoyed the read, even though at times it felt slow and the flashbacks interrupted the action often. I can tell this was on purpose and usually I enjoy that, but in this case of this book with the plot being centered around the Mr. & Mrs. Smith-like magical couple "battling" it out, it definitely was disruptive to the flow in a few parts.
I would definitely still recommend this book for fans of similar books (listed above), but for me personally this wasn't a read I'll be following up on if more stories in this world are written by the author. Although I would be willing to try other books by this author down the road.
The book was really well marketed and the plot was how it was described in the blurb. I feel like this book will be great for fans of Go Hex Yourself and The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. The characters are fun, the romance isn't just a side plot which I think happens a lot w/ the cozy witchy romances lately that are similar in idea.
I enjoyed the read, even though at times it felt slow and the flashbacks interrupted the action often. I can tell this was on purpose and usually I enjoy that, but in this case of this book with the plot being centered around the Mr. & Mrs. Smith-like magical couple "battling" it out, it definitely was disruptive to the flow in a few parts.
I would definitely still recommend this book for fans of similar books (listed above), but for me personally this wasn't a read I'll be following up on if more stories in this world are written by the author. Although I would be willing to try other books by this author down the road.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Sexism, Fatphobia, and War
kaitrates's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
The premise of this novel excited me from the moment I heard about it on the bird app—I was psyched when I got an ARC of it! I absolutely loved the beginning and the big fight at the wedding (so magickal! so tense! ahhh!) and the dad joke acronyms, as well as how we jump back and forth between past and present, one of my favourite plot devices.
Despite drawing me right in, the novel began to lose me pretty soon after. The magick system isn't ever really explained and we don't see it in action nearly as much as I would've like, instead we find out magick did x thing. The characters lack depth, losing out to the action in the plot, and I found myself disbelieving their connection while also not knowing much about them other than her being a statuesque badass and him being a sexy, buff nerd.
I appreciated that one MC is canonically bi, but their relationship—as well as every relationship in the book—read as aggressively straight (e.g. hahaha silly men miss everything but women are so perceptive). This is perhaps a result of the source material its based on, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. and is particularly present during hte spicy scenes. Becuase of how the movie had been marketed, I expected this to bring the spice. Instead, we get three short scenes. One is fade to black and the other two are not only boring but also fail to center her pleasure. Its just the (unbelievable to me) chemistry that I never felt and a lot of...poking.
I did enjoy the magick peen jokes though! And there a few other moments that made me giggle and a minor twist at the end that I didn't see coming.
Then there's the completely lackluster and disappointing final battle...or rather meeting. I literally thought I missed pages because nothing happened... [insert joke about it being as anti-climactic as the sex scenes]. We don't even get IMO a valid grovelling of the person who betrays our MCs.
At its core, and like the movie this book is based on, this is an action novel with magickal elements that happens to be about a couple. I think it tried to do too many things and, unfortunately, none really landed.
Oh, and, justice for #MelissaTheGorgon. She was my fave and so woefully underused.
Thank you to Net Galley and St Martin's Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Despite drawing me right in, the novel began to lose me pretty soon after. The magick system isn't ever really explained and we don't see it in action nearly as much as I would've like, instead we find out magick did x thing. The characters lack depth, losing out to the action in the plot, and I found myself disbelieving their connection while also not knowing much about them other than her being a statuesque badass and him being a sexy, buff nerd.
I appreciated that one MC is canonically bi, but their relationship—as well as every relationship in the book—read as aggressively straight (e.g. hahaha silly men miss everything but women are so perceptive). This is perhaps a result of the source material its based on, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. and is particularly present during hte spicy scenes. Becuase of how the movie had been marketed, I expected this to bring the spice. Instead, we get three short scenes. One is fade to black and the other two are not only boring but also fail to center her pleasure. Its just the (unbelievable to me) chemistry that I never felt and a lot of...poking.
I did enjoy the magick peen jokes though! And there a few other moments that made me giggle and a minor twist at the end that I didn't see coming.
Then there's the completely lackluster and disappointing final battle...or rather meeting. I literally thought I missed pages because nothing happened... [insert joke about it being as anti-climactic as the sex scenes]. We don't even get IMO a valid grovelling of the person who betrays our MCs.
At its core, and like the movie this book is based on, this is an action novel with magickal elements that happens to be about a couple. I think it tried to do too many things and, unfortunately, none really landed.
Oh, and, justice for #MelissaTheGorgon. She was my fave and so woefully underused.
Thank you to Net Galley and St Martin's Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content
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