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3.26 AVERAGE
3.26 AVERAGE
I just couldn’t get into the story. There was WAY too much going on all at once it was overwhelming.
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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:
Yes
I won this book in a giveaway and it turned out to be not the type of book that I usually read. It surprised me by how much I was drawn to the story though! I did find some of the details to be a bit repetitive and some of the aspects of the magic to be slightly confusing, but I enjoyed the read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Mental illness, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder
Minor: Drug abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
Yes
Review:
This was a fun read! It took a sec to get into, but them I was pulled in by the tension and paranormal crimes happening. This was a mix of plot about the couple and plot about figuring out more about the strange happenings around town.
I enjoyed that the MMC and FMC were truthful with each other about how they were feeling (outside of some magic truth power). They both had a lot to process about the current situation and their past. They both care for each other and want the best for each other. They are friends first always, regardless of what the future holds for them.
Summary:
Victoria has returned home after dropping out of grad school and breaking up with her boyfriend to buy Hopelessly Teavoted, a tea shop that was owned by a friend's parents.
Azrael also returned home to teach at the local high school after his screen writing career didn't pan out and his parents passed away.
Vickie and Az have been best friends since childhood, but an awkward experience in college had them keeping their distance since. With them both back home, their friendship and feelings have resurfaced. Complications arise when Vickie has to use her "gift" to complete her parents' debt to a devil, and the devil objectified Az, making Vickie not able to touch him without killing him.
While paying her debts, a larger scheme is uncovered. Vickie and Az, along with his sister and his sister's partner, try to solve the paranormal crimes. Vickie and Az have to navigate their reemerged feelings, solving the crimes all while trying to find a fix for the new curse.
This was a fun read! It took a sec to get into, but them I was pulled in by the tension and paranormal crimes happening. This was a mix of plot about the couple and plot about figuring out more about the strange happenings around town.
I enjoyed that the MMC and FMC were truthful with each other about how they were feeling (outside of some magic truth power). They both had a lot to process about the current situation and their past. They both care for each other and want the best for each other. They are friends first always, regardless of what the future holds for them.
Summary:
Victoria has returned home after dropping out of grad school and breaking up with her boyfriend to buy Hopelessly Teavoted, a tea shop that was owned by a friend's parents.
Azrael also returned home to teach at the local high school after his screen writing career didn't pan out and his parents passed away.
Vickie and Az have been best friends since childhood, but an awkward experience in college had them keeping their distance since. With them both back home, their friendship and feelings have resurfaced. Complications arise when Vickie has to use her "gift" to complete her parents' debt to a devil, and the devil objectified Az, making Vickie not able to touch him without killing him.
While paying her debts, a larger scheme is uncovered. Vickie and Az, along with his sister and his sister's partner, try to solve the paranormal crimes. Vickie and Az have to navigate their reemerged feelings, solving the crimes all while trying to find a fix for the new curse.
It just wasn’t working for me. Their backstory was just so angsty and it felt like they both had trauma around it and I didn’t feel like I could get through all that to the HEA
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free eARC
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free eARC
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Apparently I will just read anything with a punny title and a cute witchy cover, and that's not a smart method to pick your next read, do not recommend. I expected a fun supernatural romance that's easy to enjoy and just a quick entertaining read, but the couple was kinda weird and there was so much unnecessary stuff in here that I didn't like anything in the end. The book is about the witch Azrael who is in love with his next-door neighbor Victoria, a woman who can speak to the dead. But he failed to confess his love when they were teens and then he just never did anything about that ever again. Besides that one night stand they've had in college that is always talked about in a vague way and that both of them act kinda traumatized about, like they accidentally killed someone that night or something. I did not understand what their problem was. Azrael is obsessed with Victoria since forever – really, he is so pathetic for her and not even remotely in a good way – and she is also into him, but they fail to clearly communicate that for years and for absolutely no reason. Now Victoria is back in town and she's fixing up the local tea shop that once belonged to Azrael's parents. I think that she did that anyway, because it's not actually part of the story and we never get much about the tea shop in general, even though it's literally referenced in the title of the book. The book is mostly about Azrael and Victoria being all over each other, and them being interrupted while they're at it. Either they stop because they think the other doesn't actually want it – no idea where these thoughts always come from when they are passionately kissing every time they meet – or someone or something stops them. Later there is even a curse that prevents them from touching and the physical side of their romance is basically drawn out for the entirety of the book. I think that romance readers could really be into that, but I didn't like it and I also didn't care for these two people to be together when they not once communicated straight in their lives. On top of that lackluster romance there was so much unnecessary stuff thrown in here. There is somewhat of a mystery and it's made up of the most random plot elements: there is a devil contract and a curse, a local megachurch, a psychic in a hospital, a grave robbery, a historical serial killer, an asshole boss, and if you're wondering how all of that fits together, then I can't help you either, because I don't know. Some things were rather serious, but every talk between Azrael and Victoria was either horny or it ended in sex straight away, so there never was a balance between the romance and everything else. There were also weird time jumps throughout the story and some things were just beyond my comprehension. I'm writing this with the risk of sounding absolutely tactless, but why in the world would you have Azrael's parents dying from COVID? They are basically introduced as Morticia and Gomez Addams and as very powerful witches who can do literally every kind of magic with the snap of their fingers (don't get me started on that insubstantial magic system). Seriously, why would you write that of all things? I do not understand and it made me feel uneasy if I'm honest. Many other moments made me cringe and overall, I really didn't have a good time reading this book. I can see other readers liking it, though.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
I just couldn’t get into this book. It’s a bit depressing that they are witches and still died from COVID so I couldn’t really get passed that.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book had some really fun elements. I loved the ridiculous premise of the Adams Family-like family living beside the “regular” family, which were anything but regular. I thought the magic system was fun and interesting. I liked that the FMC’s parents (who were rich and cold) had made a deal with a devil to bestow their daughter with magical gifts, which they then used for their own financial gain. That was all very interesting and kept me engaged and reading.
The MMC is a very sensitive witch who loves classic literature and his pining is so over-the-top. The FMC, who is supposedly much more fun-loving and down to earth, pines just as much. All the pining was way too much for me, and almost made the book unreadable. Some people love that sort of thing, though, so for folks who loved Twilight because of all the longing, or fans of Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous by Mae Marvel, this book will have the perfect amount of desirous longing for you.
The mystery of the story wasn’t much of a puzzle, so it probably won’t be enough of a mystery to engage mystery fans. The supernatural elements are really fun, though. I also enjoyed the sister and her girlfriend as characters; I ended up caring enough that I would be tempted to read another book in this series, if it continues, to see what happens with their relationship. Plus, now that the two main characters are together, all the desperate longing can finally be over, and we can get to the story.
I think this book will appeal to fans of paranormal romance, fans of puns and punny towns with shop names made from puns, and folks who love slow burn romances steeped in longing.
The MMC is a very sensitive witch who loves classic literature and his pining is so over-the-top. The FMC, who is supposedly much more fun-loving and down to earth, pines just as much. All the pining was way too much for me, and almost made the book unreadable. Some people love that sort of thing, though, so for folks who loved Twilight because of all the longing, or fans of Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous by Mae Marvel, this book will have the perfect amount of desirous longing for you.
The mystery of the story wasn’t much of a puzzle, so it probably won’t be enough of a mystery to engage mystery fans. The supernatural elements are really fun, though. I also enjoyed the sister and her girlfriend as characters; I ended up caring enough that I would be tempted to read another book in this series, if it continues, to see what happens with their relationship. Plus, now that the two main characters are together, all the desperate longing can finally be over, and we can get to the story.
I think this book will appeal to fans of paranormal romance, fans of puns and punny towns with shop names made from puns, and folks who love slow burn romances steeped in longing.
DNF for now. I tried but it’s not holding my interest. Problem is I feel it’s going in circles - they like each other, they lust after each other, they need to be honest with each other, they can’t be together … it’s so repetitive. There’s an incident between them in the past that’s constantly alluded to but no explanation is given. It’s gotten frustrating and I feel it’s going nowhere so I’m hopping off for now.
adventurous
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book was such a fun mix of spooky, magical, and romantic. Azrael, a down-on-his-luck witch, returns home only to be thrown back into the life of his childhood best friend—and old crush—Vickie, who now runs his parents’ old tea shop. The catch? She owes a devil a dangerous debt, spirits are warning of a bigger threat, and thanks to a curse, they can’t even touch.
The banter, slow-burn tension, and creative magic system kept me hooked. It’s got humor, heart, and just the right amount of dark whimsy. Perfect if you love paranormal romance with a quirky twist.