Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic

Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall

44 reviews

rromero721's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful 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

4.0

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wornpagesandendlesscoffey's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Always thankful for the ARCs I receive, and this is my honest review. I am certain there is an audience for this book, one that will adore it and make it their entire identity. I am not that audience. I want to first say, the marketing here was super deceptive and I was almost immediately disappointed. Nothing about this story was "Gilmore Girls"- literally, nothing. There was a huge chunk of Practical Magic in there, so much so it almost felt like the same story, adjusted. It wasn't a bad book, it wasn't poorly written, but the false marketing left me with a horrid taste in my mouth for the book. I love Gilmore Girls, I named my child after the show and watch it once a year (at least), so I was thrilled to have a book that had that vibe. This book wasn't that at all, There are also a mountain of triggers and no TW of any kind, the dynamics of the grandmother felt off, the way everyone treated the main character was shady and bad, and worst of all

the female main character had to sacrifice her magic and her identity for a man. Lorelai would *never*.

The conflict was rushed and the resolution was sloppy. Every character treated the FMC like she was loved for how she made them feel or how she was useful to them, her boundaries were ignored or pushed past by nearly everyone, and have I mentioned the massive triggers. SO since the author didn't include them, a few to note are death, abandonment, toxic relationships, magic bypassing consent, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, cancer, manipulation, gaslighting, murder, and relationship abuse- this is not an exhaustive list by any means but someone should put it out there.

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patelyne's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

5.0

When I saw this recommended for Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls fans I knew I had to add it to my fall TBR, and after reading I think that’s a very good comparison.

The main character is Sadie who runs a cafe bakery with grandmother Gigi who raised her and her twin brother, baking magical treats. The entire family has different magical gifts, but they each come with their own cost.

The story opens with a series of signs and it all starts pointing towards some of those coming due.

The heartbreak in this book is no joke, the parts that hit just right meant there was *so* much crying. I was a bit of an emotional mess by the end, but I loved it. Ending on the right hopeful note was so necessary, and I think the author nailed it.

There were many recipes scattered between the chapters, all tying to the story, a couple of which I really want to try.

My only complaint - and it’s an incredibly superficial one - the grandmother calls *everyone* the same strange nickname. And often. Shouldn’t have been a big deal but it felt really weird to me?

Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC

(Check your CWs on this one!)

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nrogers_1030's review against another edition

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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.

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