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greenlivingaudioworm's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Addiction, Drug use, Drug abuse, Grief, Abandonment, and Terminal illness
nicolelovesbooks's review against another edition
4.25
I started this on my kindle, and ended up switching to paper because I had a couple of times I felt the need to flip back and reference something earlier in the book. While this one started a little slow for me (it takes some time for the two storylines to converge, and then when it does, it really moves), but I ended up loving it. Jenna has such a way of writing teens going through hard things while also experiencing the joy of exploring a new place and meeting new people, and though this one is quite different from her Love and books (which I loved), this one has a similar feel in that way. Add to that a lot of fun witchiness, and even though it was set in summer, it was a perfect fall read. I would definitely say it has some triggers so I will put those below with spoiler tags if you’re curious. As for content, it does not have anything graphic for younger YA readers (though the themes related to the triggers are tough, they are handled thoughtfully, but still something to be aware of).
One character is still processing from a painful divorce where her dad moved on and started a new family (and she doesn't get to see him as much). Her aunt who she never knew (her mom lied about her past) has died. The other main character, Mason, is in the foster system and his mother is a drug addict. We find out later in the book that she has relinquished her parental rights because she has essentially given up on trying to get clean.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse and Abandonment
julialudovici's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Addiction and Drug abuse
sefrahudman's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Super cute and unique love story! It is the most wholesome story with all sorts of magic and mystery mixed in!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse and Drug use
1rae1's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse
joanna77_'s review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
More thoughts to come…beautiful but it felt vague like it was trying too hard.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment and Drug abuse
theespressoedition's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
5.0
I wasn't expecting to be so blown away by this book but I'm so glad that's what happened! Spells for Lost Things really took me on the most emotional journey and I actually felt like I was walking in the shoes of both Willow and Mason (and some of the other fantastic characters introduced along the way).
While the story takes place in the summertime, I still found it to be the perfect read for October. It's set in Salem and has all the witchy goodness that I was craving during the Halloween season. It's contemporary, with magical elements that create an air of mystery and wonder.
Speaking of mystery, I was completely HOOKED on that aspect of the plot. There were so many pieces of the puzzle that needed to come together and I couldn't put the book down until I had figured everything out. While parts of it felt slightly predictable, for the most part, I was impressed by the answers to the questions the reader is asking themselves from the beginning.
These characters have phenomenal depth. Quite frankly, they felt a lot older to me than 15-16 years old. While it was very obviously a YA novel (parents planning dates, school discussions, and teenage angst), the way the heavier topics were handled was really mature (though still age-appropriate). As an adult reading YA, I often get annoyed by the characters and their childish behavior (while still realizing that it's totally normal for this age group), but I didn't feel that way with Spells for Lost Things. It was completely enjoyable despite being unable to "relate" to their particular issues.
As I just mentioned, there were some pretty challenging topics discussed in this book. Things like substance abuse, abandonment, grief, and other tough content were navigated throughout the story. I personally felt as though the author navigated them beautifully. It made my eyes well up in the best way and I really connected to the different characters, despite having never gone through any of the struggles they have.
I truly hope that Jenna decides to write more books like this because I am in love.
While the story takes place in the summertime, I still found it to be the perfect read for October. It's set in Salem and has all the witchy goodness that I was craving during the Halloween season. It's contemporary, with magical elements that create an air of mystery and wonder.
Speaking of mystery, I was completely HOOKED on that aspect of the plot. There were so many pieces of the puzzle that needed to come together and I couldn't put the book down until I had figured everything out. While parts of it felt slightly predictable, for the most part, I was impressed by the answers to the questions the reader is asking themselves from the beginning.
These characters have phenomenal depth. Quite frankly, they felt a lot older to me than 15-16 years old. While it was very obviously a YA novel (parents planning dates, school discussions, and teenage angst), the way the heavier topics were handled was really mature (though still age-appropriate). As an adult reading YA, I often get annoyed by the characters and their childish behavior (while still realizing that it's totally normal for this age group), but I didn't feel that way with Spells for Lost Things. It was completely enjoyable despite being unable to "relate" to their particular issues.
As I just mentioned, there were some pretty challenging topics discussed in this book. Things like substance abuse, abandonment, grief, and other tough content were navigated throughout the story. I personally felt as though the author navigated them beautifully. It made my eyes well up in the best way and I really connected to the different characters, despite having never gone through any of the struggles they have.
I truly hope that Jenna decides to write more books like this because I am in love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Abandonment, Addiction, Drug abuse, and Grief
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