Scan barcode
Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'
The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall
29 reviews
etl's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
This book was.... not for me. Plot lines that go nowhere, confusing and bizarre christian ideology that comes out of nowhere (in a book about a witch...?), plot holes, a bizarre dog kidnapping that I think we're supposed to read as quirky and banter-y, overly-descriptive language while still not actually telling us anything, wildly casual mentions of very serious topics SA, attempted suicide, murder, and also what essentially amounts to the drugging of an unsuspecting third party... TWICE. SHE DOES IT TWICE . I can't believe this was marketed as a cozy read tbh.
The only reason I finished this book is because I became absolutely obsessed with the frankly absurd similes and metaphors. The writing is chock full of some truly bizarre writing but by chapter two I started highlighting the comparisons to food (specifically sweet treats) just in case the reader forgot that the main character was a baker. My favorites are below for your reading pleasure:
- "the tenuous peace they'd formed in the kitchen cracked like creme brulee"
- "shaking her momentary mirth off like powdered sugar"
- "excitement brushed along her skin like confectioners' sugar"
- "gingersnap laugh"
- "The air turned sweet like sparkle-dusted rainbow cotton candy"
and my number one, the line I will be thinking about for the rest of my life:
- "hugs were passed around like a tray of chocolate truffles, sweet and decadent until too much made you sad for no reason" - huh. huh?I have never ever been sad due to too many chocolate truffles OR too many hugs. sick? yes. touched out? yes. sad...? am I missing something? do chocolates and hugs make people sad?
Overall I counted 41 instances of food-related symbolism, and this doesn't include anything from chapter one or descriptive language like "butter-soft" or "caramel-colored" because at least those descriptions make sense.
I'm sure this book is for someone. That someone is not me.
The only reason I finished this book is because I became absolutely obsessed with the frankly absurd similes and metaphors. The writing is chock full of some truly bizarre writing but by chapter two I started highlighting the comparisons to food (specifically sweet treats) just in case the reader forgot that the main character was a baker. My favorites are below for your reading pleasure:
- "the tenuous peace they'd formed in the kitchen cracked like creme brulee"
- "shaking her momentary mirth off like powdered sugar"
- "excitement brushed along her skin like confectioners' sugar"
- "gingersnap laugh"
- "The air turned sweet like sparkle-dusted rainbow cotton candy"
and my number one, the line I will be thinking about for the rest of my life:
- "hugs were passed around like a tray of chocolate truffles, sweet and decadent until too much made you sad for no reason" - huh. huh?I have never ever been sad due to too many chocolate truffles OR too many hugs. sick? yes. touched out? yes. sad...? am I missing something? do chocolates and hugs make people sad?
Overall I counted 41 instances of food-related symbolism, and this doesn't include anything from chapter one or descriptive language like "butter-soft" or "caramel-colored" because at least those descriptions make sense.
I'm sure this book is for someone. That someone is not me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Mental illness, Cancer, Terminal illness, Sexual assault, Rape, Murder, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Death
Minor: Pregnancy and Infertility
amandaboyer's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
tense
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Cancer, Drug use, Death, Suicide, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Suicide attempt
condls27's review against another edition
Spoilers ahead! I never DNF books this far into it, usually I tough it out but good god. This is pitched as a Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls but really it’s annoying Christian witches who bake a lot.
Everything about this book annoyed me- Sadie was one of the worst FMCs I’ve read in a long time. She’s a childish doormat with no backbone and manages to be clingy while keeping everyone at arms length. The ”conflict” with her brother was so stupid (he was only gone for a year! They way the author described how betrayed Sadie felt you’d think he stole all her money, kicked her cat and slashed her tires before he left town but the poor guy just wanted to explore the world a little bit). Not to mention, their family motto is “Revelares leave but they always come back”, so if you know he’s going to come back why are you acting so betrayed?
Speaking of Seth, if he called her “sister” one more time I was going to launch the book into the sun. We get it, they’re siblings you do not need to constantly remind us. I have 3 sisters and never once in our lives have we ever called each other “sis, sister, little sis, big sister” Why do authors insist on doing this? He’s her twin for god’s sake we’re not going to forget they’re siblings.
Also, how in the hell are a bunch of witches Methodists?! At one point the FMC corrects someone who calls her family witches and she says “We’re not witches, we’re magic users, there’s a difference!” You have a potion brewing under the moonlight for a spell you wrote but you’re not a witch? You carry herbs in your pocket to ward off bad vibes but also quote scripture? Pick and choose babe. That almost made DNF right there but what did it was the MMC trying to “save some gang members” by taking them to church. The author made him a literal white savior (firefighter) but of course when his evangelizing didn’t work, he fled the big scary city. Ah yes, evangelizing with a side of white flight, sounds about white, I mean right. Never thought I’d see conservative coded witches but here we are.
I didn’t even get to mention the puppy stealing and the fake pregnancy which reminds me- there are zero trigger warnings. For a story marketed as a cozy rom-com, there are incredibly heavy themes dropped in with zero care. Descriptions of sexual assault/rape, domestic abuse and suicide ideation/attempt. It is so irresponsible to include such triggering themes without warning your readers. I will hate this book until the day I die.
Everything about this book annoyed me- Sadie was one of the worst FMCs I’ve read in a long time. She’s a childish doormat with no backbone and manages to be clingy while keeping everyone at arms length. The ”conflict” with her brother was so stupid (he was only gone for a year! They way the author described how betrayed Sadie felt you’d think he stole all her money, kicked her cat and slashed her tires before he left town but the poor guy just wanted to explore the world a little bit). Not to mention, their family motto is “Revelares leave but they always come back”, so if you know he’s going to come back why are you acting so betrayed?
Speaking of Seth, if he called her “sister” one more time I was going to launch the book into the sun. We get it, they’re siblings you do not need to constantly remind us. I have 3 sisters and never once in our lives have we ever called each other “sis, sister, little sis, big sister” Why do authors insist on doing this? He’s her twin for god’s sake we’re not going to forget they’re siblings.
Also, how in the hell are a bunch of witches Methodists?! At one point the FMC corrects someone who calls her family witches and she says “We’re not witches, we’re magic users, there’s a difference!” You have a potion brewing under the moonlight for a spell you wrote but you’re not a witch? You carry herbs in your pocket to ward off bad vibes but also quote scripture? Pick and choose babe. That almost made DNF right there but what did it was the MMC trying to “save some gang members” by taking them to church. The author made him a literal white savior (firefighter) but of course when his evangelizing didn’t work, he fled the big scary city. Ah yes, evangelizing with a side of white flight, sounds about white, I mean right. Never thought I’d see conservative coded witches but here we are.
I didn’t even get to mention the puppy stealing and the fake pregnancy which reminds me- there are zero trigger warnings. For a story marketed as a cozy rom-com, there are incredibly heavy themes dropped in with zero care. Descriptions of sexual assault/rape, domestic abuse and suicide ideation/attempt. It is so irresponsible to include such triggering themes without warning your readers. I will hate this book until the day I die.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Sexual assault, and Death
cc_shelflove's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
From the first page of this book, I was already starving. As a foodie, I loved the many descriptions of Sadie making her way around the kitchen and serving delectable sweets. 😋 There were even recipes in between each chapter! The other aspects of the book, however…… 🥴 It was so discombobulated it’s not even funny. For the “romance” course of the novel, I was served second chance and forced proximity tropes—ones I actually enjoy. Where the author lacked is character development. I was given next to no background into Sadie and Jake’s relationship before his return; I didn’t know either character well enough to care if they got back together or not. I also felt like I was thrown into the middle of Sadie’s familial problems, and it was expected that I care with no further explanation. The long chapters killed my reading experience, as well as the randomness of the plot. I definitely skimmed the last two chapters and I was left disappointed as I thought this would be the perfect fall read. 😓 My thoughts summed up in one word: unfortunate.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Cancer, Mental illness, Grief, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts
aishoka's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
Emotional. A bit Mary Sue. Lots of lush garden and food descriptions
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Cancer, and Death
Minor: Sexual assault
roguereads's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.25
I was not prepared for the emotional gut punch that was this book.
Tw: death, cancer, grief. Having been my father-in-law’s primary caretaker during his last months of life, the scenes of the MC’s grandmother’s rapid decline, death at home, and the grief that followed I was wholly unprepared for. It was incredibly difficult, and painful. If I missed any TW listing, that’s on me, but I was not expecting to relive those experiences from a book that was marketed as Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic.
The pacing was wonderful, the magic system fascinating, and I want more abojt this town and it’s founding families!
The pacing was wonderful, the magic system fascinating, and I want more abojt this town and it’s founding families!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Cancer and Terminal illness
rowanhill's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
This cozy, witchy book is the perfect fall read! Family, baking, magic, romance…what more can you ask for?! Despite some of its heavier themes, this book feels like cider and a warm hug throughout and I found it hard to put down just on vibes alone. And the icing on top? There is a recipe to try yourself at the end of each chapter! If you thrive on the fall vibes like me and are interested in magical realism, this is the perfect read for you.
The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic is compared to Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls, but I actually feel like Under the Whispering Door is a far more comparable story. It follows Sadie Revelare, a talented magic user who owns a bakery in the small town her family has lived in for generations. However, all magic comes at a cost and Sadie is destined to lose hers after 4 heartbreaks. When her grandmother is diagnosed with terminal cancer, Sadie knows her passing will be the third heartbreak. But as Sadie soon learns, there is far more than her magic at stake.
I really love all of the characters in this book! Though I find Sadie a bit irritating at times, she is a realistically flawed character who is very relatable as she tries, and often fails, to navigate a very difficult time in her life. Each of the other characters is quirky in their own way and I love how their magic (for those that have it) match their quirks perfectly. Randall really excels at showing how these various personalities interact and allowing both tension and love/comradery to exist at the same time. Though I wouldn’t fully call this a ‘character’ book, these characters and their love for each other definitely form the heart of the story.
Despite the fact that I devoured this book like it was a piece of pumpkin pie, it definitely has its flaws. There was enough repetition in the writing that it started to earn some eyerolls from me towards the end. I never really got annoyed with it, but it did start to undermine the stronger storytelling elements. There were also a few elements that I wished had gotten a little more meaningful development and/or tied together better by the end of the book. This obviously didn’t stop me from loving the book, but it did make me hesitate to give it top marks.
Special thanks to NetGalley for providing this ARC!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt and Grief
Moderate: Cancer and Terminal illness
Minor: Abandonment, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
nrogers_1030's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak & Magic is something magical. I laughed, cried and felt every emotion in between. I feel like it could pull anyone's heart strings. It's been compared to Gilmore Girls and Practical Magic and I agree in a sense; it has characteristics of both, but it has a heart of its own. Ms. Randall has spun a story that is so charming, but real. The importance of self-care and being mentally healthy is a huge in this novel, but it's done subtly so it doesn't feel as if you're listening to a self-help lecture. I can't recommend this book enough. I loved the recipes included; it made you feel like you could bake something alongside Sadie. I feel the same way about The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak & Magic that I do about Legends and Lattes. I could reread this again and again.
Here's some quotes that held meaning for me:
“No, your problem, carina, is that it’s practically impossible for anyone to get in that heart of yours. And when they do, you love them forever. No matter what. No matter how much they shit all over you.”
'"Time ceases to exist for you in bookstores, and I am not sitting by for three hours while you get hot over books you have no intention of buying.”“But they need me,” Sadie argued.'
'"All the cousins there and endless games of hide-and-seek and secrets and sprinklers. Sticky watermelon fingers and sidewalk chalk. As the years went on, the memories stuck, but the get-togethers didn’t."' - This could have come from a page of my life.
"I will love you every moment of forever."
When your heart is split in two, you can’t be true to either piece. It’s like you’re two different people with one beating heart.”
Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing an advanced reader copy of the book for an honest review. Any quote(s) used in my review have been uncorrected.
Here's some quotes that held meaning for me:
“No, your problem, carina, is that it’s practically impossible for anyone to get in that heart of yours. And when they do, you love them forever. No matter what. No matter how much they shit all over you.”
'"Time ceases to exist for you in bookstores, and I am not sitting by for three hours while you get hot over books you have no intention of buying.”“But they need me,” Sadie argued.'
'"All the cousins there and endless games of hide-and-seek and secrets and sprinklers. Sticky watermelon fingers and sidewalk chalk. As the years went on, the memories stuck, but the get-togethers didn’t."' - This could have come from a page of my life.
"I will love you every moment of forever."
When your heart is split in two, you can’t be true to either piece. It’s like you’re two different people with one beating heart.”
Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing an advanced reader copy of the book for an honest review. Any quote(s) used in my review have been uncorrected.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Abandonment, Cancer, Cursing, Grief, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Sexual content, Murder, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Pregnancy
midnitebrz's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
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
5.0
Thank you netgalley and publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book
This book was amazing. It made me fall in love with the characters and really feel for them. I cried a few times, not gonna lie. Sadie in the beginning is so closed off to everyone because she is afraid of another heartbreak, yet she does so much good for her community. She feels realistic and I like that she is 28 rather than the younger protagonists that are in most books. It shows how an adult handles the challenges of life. Also, she is relatable to most who love to read from when Raquel says, "No way. Time ceases to exist for you in bookstores, and I'm not sitting by for three hours while you get hot over books you have no intention of buying," and Sadie responds,"But they need me." Yes, Sadie, I too drag my loved ones around book stores to look at books.
I think the book does a good job of invoking a sense of community as they come together to help her family in their time of need. I also love how the family works together despite past troubles, finding a rhythm that is familiar. My heart also goes out to Jake who is really just a sweet guy trying to do what is right and doing his best.
On another note, I think the recipes in between chapters is a really unique idea and it feels like we're getting to see Sadie write her cookbook as the story unfolds. I have the recipes bookmarked and plan on trying a few, especially the orange honey vanilla scones. I also had fun trying to guess what recipe was going to be at the end of the chapter based off of what Sadie had made, it was like a little mystery that was revealed.
This book was amazing. It made me fall in love with the characters and really feel for them. I cried a few times, not gonna lie. Sadie in the beginning is so closed off to everyone because she is afraid of another heartbreak, yet she does so much good for her community. She feels realistic and I like that she is 28 rather than the younger protagonists that are in most books. It shows how an adult handles the challenges of life. Also, she is relatable to most who love to read from when Raquel says, "No way. Time ceases to exist for you in bookstores, and I'm not sitting by for three hours while you get hot over books you have no intention of buying," and Sadie responds,"But they need me." Yes, Sadie, I too drag my loved ones around book stores to look at books.
I think the book does a good job of invoking a sense of community as they come together to help her family in their time of need. I also love how the family works together despite past troubles, finding a rhythm that is familiar. My heart also goes out to Jake who is really just a sweet guy trying to do what is right and doing his best.
On another note, I think the recipes in between chapters is a really unique idea and it feels like we're getting to see Sadie write her cookbook as the story unfolds. I have the recipes bookmarked and plan on trying a few, especially the orange honey vanilla scones. I also had fun trying to guess what recipe was going to be at the end of the chapter based off of what Sadie had made, it was like a little mystery that was revealed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt and Terminal illness
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Grief, Mental illness, and Infertility
Minor: Pregnancy
More...