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annettewolf's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I was surprised at how much I liked Nina. I wasn't expecting that. I was definitely feeling all her reactions to the generational trauma and unpredictable emotional abuse cycles. I didn't vibe as much with her choices later in the book--I felt like I would have been more in tune with Morty during those parts. But I'm excited at the new depth of lore in the town. And eager to see who is the next main character.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse
apoppyinthewind's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
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? It's complicated
4.0
Another installment of my new favourite series. I love the way Harper writes about magic with a wonderful mix of silly and serious elements. I said it before and I'll say it again, I enjoy how the magic is front and center in the story and not a backseat element compared to the romance. This time we're getting to see more of the infamous Blackmoore family that served as the "villains" of book one, Payback's a Witch.
It was enjoyable to read an inside and new perspective on the Blackmoores that's more nuanced than they're the rich snobby family everyone loves to hate. In this book, we get to meet Nineve "Nina" Blackmoore who's the perfect ice princess on the outside and an adorkable nerd on the inside. She still trying to recover from her engagement ending and soon finds herself entangled with Morty, the lovable bartender from earlier books in the series.
Things start rocky with a short-lived enemies moment to Morty & Nina quickly becoming lovers due to magical fuckery thanks to the interference of a mysterious goddess. I didn't mind the quick pace though as it makes sense story-wise and both characters are good about communicating. This is great if you, like me, are getting a little sick of miscommunication being used as a plot device too often.
It was enjoyable to read an inside and new perspective on the Blackmoores that's more nuanced than they're the rich snobby family everyone loves to hate. In this book, we get to meet Nineve "Nina" Blackmoore who's the perfect ice princess on the outside and an adorkable nerd on the inside. She still trying to recover from her engagement ending and soon finds herself entangled with Morty, the lovable bartender from earlier books in the series.
Things start rocky with a short-lived enemies moment to Morty & Nina quickly becoming lovers due to magical fuckery thanks to the interference of a mysterious goddess. I didn't mind the quick pace though as it makes sense story-wise and both characters are good about communicating. This is great if you, like me, are getting a little sick of miscommunication being used as a plot device too often.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Emotional abuse, Bullying, and Toxic relationship
jkneebone's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Back In A Spell is the third installment in Lana Harper's Witches of Thistle Grove series, and I will be reading these as long as she is writing them! Back In A Spell is possibly my favorite in the series yet, although that might be due to the continued world building of Thistle Grove. IMO, one of the joys of this series is how the couples in each book are unique, and how well Harper weaves together the magic plot line with the romance plot line every time. The setting of Thistle Grove is just the cherry on top!
This book is narrated by Nina Blackmoore, who we've only met briefly in previous installments. The Blackmoores used to rule Thistle Grove - their scions had won the Gauntlet of the Grove, giving them that privilege, for generations - and because of how they handled that power (think entitlement and squashing others), they are widely disliked by the other families. Although Nina was raised to put her family first, and still works for them as their in-house lawyer, she recognizes the damage her family has done to her, and can acknowledge that the behavior of others, such as her mother and her older brother Gareth (who readers will remember from Payback's a Witch), have hurt their family's reputation.
Nina is a powerful witch, but she's still reeling from being cruelly dumped by her ex-fiancee a week before they were supposed to marry. She's struggling to put herself out there, and her best friend (and non-witch) Jessa suggests a date with someone who is definitely not her type to help get her back in her groove. Jessa initiates an online match between Nina and Morty, another non-magical member of the Thistle Grove community (again, readers will remember having briefly met Morty, the non-binary proprietor of the Shamrock Cauldron, when Emmy and Linden visited the pub). Nina and Morty meet up, but the date (unsurprisingly) goes south as soon as Morty realizes who Nina is. But things don't end there, because the next day Morty wakes up able to do magic - something that only should have happened if he and Nina were in a committed relationship and decided to get witchbound or, as Morty calls it, "witch married."
Morty's new powers coincide with Nina's own magic becoming supercharged, and the advent of weird dreams about a statue at the bottom of Lady's Lake. Nina's mother and grandmother forbid her from reporting the weirdness to Emmy, the current leader of the magical community; instead, Nina and her older brother Gareth are tasked with finding out what's going on with Nina's magic. As they investigate, Nina's relationship with Morty grows, and she is finally able to acknowledge the harm that her family has done to her and her brothers as they grew up. But when it comes time to align herself either with or against House Blackmoore, which will Nina choose?
I really really enjoyed this book! All of the witchy, magical things that Nina and Morty experience were perfectly described, and the wintery atmosphere made this a great seasonal read (exactly why I waited to read it in December). I liked getting to see inside the Blackmoore family after they've served as a sort of specter in the previous two books, and I liked that we got to go along with Nina as she questioned what she'd been taught and learned to reign in her initial judgments. Seeing Gareth go through some of that along with her was cool as well. I was just as invested in Nina coming into her own and discovering what was supercharging her magic as I was in her relationship with Morty. But their relationship was great too - Harper did an amazing job of describing their chemistry, and I also liked how we got to see them learning about each other, and the way that Morty helped Nina become a better version of herself. Even though she didn't get a ton of screentime, I really appreciated Jessa as a character too - it was so nice to see a platonic relationship being given the same weight and value as a romantic relationship (Jessa moved to Thistle Grove to be close to Nina, something that Nina does not take for granted), especially in a romance novel.
All in all, I had very few quibbles with this book! Some of the stuff that happened at the climax left me a little uneasy, although I think it was meant to, and I liked the way it was resolved.I wish we had more reassurance that Delilah is okay after that oblivion spell, but given that the next book is about her, I understand why things had to be set up this way. I liked that Morty was nonbinary, but there were a few moments later on in the book when I wish that Harper had taken the opportunity not to equate gender with sex. For example, the second time Nina and Morty have sex, she gives him a blow job, and reflects that it's been a long time since she had sex with a man - but what she really means is it's been a long time since she gave a blow job, which Nina should know, since it's been previously established that Morty isn't a man, and that Nina has been in a relationship with a trans man in the past. All in all, though, I think this is a fabulous continuation of the series, and one that I really enjoyed reading. I'd recommend it to any romance fan, especially those who also enjoy fantasy, with the caveat that some things will probably make more sense if you start with book 1 - this is a rare romance series where the world building and progression of events do actually matter :)
This book is narrated by Nina Blackmoore, who we've only met briefly in previous installments. The Blackmoores used to rule Thistle Grove - their scions had won the Gauntlet of the Grove, giving them that privilege, for generations - and because of how they handled that power (think entitlement and squashing others), they are widely disliked by the other families. Although Nina was raised to put her family first, and still works for them as their in-house lawyer, she recognizes the damage her family has done to her, and can acknowledge that the behavior of others, such as her mother and her older brother Gareth (who readers will remember from Payback's a Witch), have hurt their family's reputation.
Nina is a powerful witch, but she's still reeling from being cruelly dumped by her ex-fiancee a week before they were supposed to marry. She's struggling to put herself out there, and her best friend (and non-witch) Jessa suggests a date with someone who is definitely not her type to help get her back in her groove. Jessa initiates an online match between Nina and Morty, another non-magical member of the Thistle Grove community (again, readers will remember having briefly met Morty, the non-binary proprietor of the Shamrock Cauldron, when Emmy and Linden visited the pub). Nina and Morty meet up, but the date (unsurprisingly) goes south as soon as Morty realizes who Nina is. But things don't end there, because the next day Morty wakes up able to do magic - something that only should have happened if he and Nina were in a committed relationship and decided to get witchbound or, as Morty calls it, "witch married."
Morty's new powers coincide with Nina's own magic becoming supercharged, and the advent of weird dreams about a statue at the bottom of Lady's Lake. Nina's mother and grandmother forbid her from reporting the weirdness to Emmy, the current leader of the magical community; instead, Nina and her older brother Gareth are tasked with finding out what's going on with Nina's magic. As they investigate, Nina's relationship with Morty grows, and she is finally able to acknowledge the harm that her family has done to her and her brothers as they grew up. But when it comes time to align herself either with or against House Blackmoore, which will Nina choose?
I really really enjoyed this book! All of the witchy, magical things that Nina and Morty experience were perfectly described, and the wintery atmosphere made this a great seasonal read (exactly why I waited to read it in December). I liked getting to see inside the Blackmoore family after they've served as a sort of specter in the previous two books, and I liked that we got to go along with Nina as she questioned what she'd been taught and learned to reign in her initial judgments. Seeing Gareth go through some of that along with her was cool as well. I was just as invested in Nina coming into her own and discovering what was supercharging her magic as I was in her relationship with Morty. But their relationship was great too - Harper did an amazing job of describing their chemistry, and I also liked how we got to see them learning about each other, and the way that Morty helped Nina become a better version of herself. Even though she didn't get a ton of screentime, I really appreciated Jessa as a character too - it was so nice to see a platonic relationship being given the same weight and value as a romantic relationship (Jessa moved to Thistle Grove to be close to Nina, something that Nina does not take for granted), especially in a romance novel.
All in all, I had very few quibbles with this book! Some of the stuff that happened at the climax left me a little uneasy, although I think it was meant to, and I liked the way it was resolved.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse
myinvinciblesummer's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This was a really good book. I almost stopped in the first quarter of the book because I disliked the snobby personality of the FMC, but I’m SO glad I didn’t. That uncomfortable feeling I got about her is, what I assume, crafted that way on purpose by a really talented author. This is a fun read, that wasn’t challenging but also wasn’t simplistic. It was just right. The pop culture references were perfectly executed and I found myself chuckling quite a few times during the book. I cackled when the FMC was commenting (in her head) about what she called the Boomer witches in her family 🤣
I want to address something I’ve seen in some of the reviews. I first will say, I do not identify as non-binary, so I do not wish to speak for that community or to minimize any of their opinions on how the author wrote a non-binary character. I do want to express my view on how I saw it, but again, please give my opinion less weight than those with the lived experience. I think the author did a okay/good job (not great, not horrible) writing Morty (he/they). I know other readers have expressed frustration that Morty was only ever referred to with the he pronoun, even though their chosen pronouns also include they. Morty explained his pronouns and preferences very early in the story. Throughout the story we also see that Morty has NO problem (expect maybe with his Mother on the specific topic of gender expression) passionately making his opinion known and fighting for the good and what he thinks is right. If Morty had wanted more they, along with the he, I believe he would have expressed that. Being non-binary and fluid gender expression is not black and white. It’s a spectrum, and Morty is just one small example of all the beautiful places on the spectrum, and that’s all any character can be. Just one example. I wish there was more NB representation in books because with more representation then more of the spectrum could be shown, and I believe that is the way what the non-binary community could feel more fairly represented. They deserve to be seen and represented in all media, and I’m glad Morty exists as a step in that direction, and I hope to see more.
I want to address something I’ve seen in some of the reviews. I first will say, I do not identify as non-binary, so I do not wish to speak for that community or to minimize any of their opinions on how the author wrote a non-binary character. I do want to express my view on how I saw it, but again, please give my opinion less weight than those with the lived experience. I think the author did a okay/good job (not great, not horrible) writing Morty (he/they). I know other readers have expressed frustration that Morty was only ever referred to with the he pronoun, even though their chosen pronouns also include they. Morty explained his pronouns and preferences very early in the story. Throughout the story we also see that Morty has NO problem (expect maybe with his Mother on the specific topic of gender expression) passionately making his opinion known and fighting for the good and what he thinks is right. If Morty had wanted more they, along with the he, I believe he would have expressed that. Being non-binary and fluid gender expression is not black and white. It’s a spectrum, and Morty is just one small example of all the beautiful places on the spectrum, and that’s all any character can be. Just one example. I wish there was more NB representation in books because with more representation then more of the spectrum could be shown, and I believe that is the way what the non-binary community could feel more fairly represented. They deserve to be seen and represented in all media, and I’m glad Morty exists as a step in that direction, and I hope to see more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Sexual content
The emotional abuse I note in the content warnings I chose: is done by adult family members against the FMC and her siblings. It’s a short description when detailed but clear. The father of the MMC has MS, which I wanted to mention because it may be triggering if you have a person in your life with a chronic illness’sallisonbraun's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Emotional abuse and Alcohol
percervall's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Emotional abuse
Minor: Child abuse
theespressoedition's review against another edition
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Classism, and Toxic relationship
emilywemily6's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I was disappointed by this book, especially because I loved the first one. There were a lot of things I would have changed. I feel like the conflict in Nina’s family was talked about but never shown; there was only one confrontation between Nina and the older generation and it didn’t really explain why Nina felt so broken. I also didn’t really like Morty. He was kind of snarky and inconsistently passionate about certain things and aggressive. And I honestly hated the romance. It went from zero to 100 super fast (spice level was HOT- hotter than the other books) after a first date where they basically hated on each other. It wasn’t just awkward or two unlikely people having a hard time connecting; they were both insulting and rude and openly judgy. So the fact that they had a physical (and magical) connection didn’t feel like enough to overcome all that. All of a sudden, they were kind to each other. I could not get behind their relationship. Some people complain about the non-binary representation, but I felt that while it could have been more dramatic of a characterization, it still felt genuine. Nina asked Morty which pronoun he preferred, and I felt like his specific gender expression was consistent and realistic and nuanced. The story, although it was interesting to learn about what was happening, was over-the-top dramatic and wild, and the lore didn’t seem to fit in with the rest of the series. I also felt like the consequences of Nina’s actions did not realistically fit the outcome or intent of her actions (like she got off really easily and the conflict resolved too nicely). I also hated how much people despised the Blackmores and Nina never bothered to correct anyone when people made assumptions about her or her intentions because of her family. It made me angry- give credit where they are due but don’t treat them like they are evil. Ugh. I will read the next book still, but I really hope it’s better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Bullying
Minor: Biphobia
cassielaj's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-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
This was a really interesting installment in the Thistle Grove series!! Nina is a very complex character who has to make some difficult discoveries and decisions, and I thought that was explored well. I wanted a bit more room for each of the book’s major themes/plot points to develop, but I enjoyed the story and the romance a lot. And I loved the discussion of platonic soulmates/found family.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Emotional abuse
augustar14's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I am enjoying this series. However, the author had the chance to do much more with the genderqueer character and I found myself very disappointed with how much it felt like token representation, or just a fact tossed in/mentioned to try to be inclusive, but not actually built into the character like ones gender identity truly is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Classism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Alcohol, and Body horror
Moderate: Toxic relationship