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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was sadly not for me. I found the plot to be boring, and the characters fell flat. There was just nothing in this book that kept me interested in the mystery of the plot or the growing relationship between the two main characters. I didn’t even feel like they truly enjoyed each other’s company, let alone that they deeply cared for one another at the end of it all.
I don’t know, so many of the seasonal romances have been a disappointment for me, and this one might have been the last straw. I feel like they are all the exact same, but not in a good way.
I don’t know, so many of the seasonal romances have been a disappointment for me, and this one might have been the last straw. I feel like they are all the exact same, but not in a good way.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
3.75 ( would have been a 4 if it didn’t drag a little)
Welp I was wrong on who the culprit was but I do believe she will be a problem for the later books.
The little moments we got between Talía and Emmy I was eating up.. I love them together.
Overall, this book wasn’t bad but it also wasn’t a fav
Welp I was wrong on who the culprit was but I do believe she will be a problem for the later books.
The little moments we got between Talía and Emmy I was eating up.. I love them together.
Overall, this book wasn’t bad but it also wasn’t a fav
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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:
Yes
Thistle Grove gets an enemies-to-lovers sequel that gives off major Montague and Capulet vibes! The tension between Isidora Avramov and Rowan Thorn was hinted at in the last book, but I loved learning more about their history and seeing them open up to one another.
Dangerous dark magic targeting members of the Thorn family puts immediate suspicion on the Avramovs. Arch-nemeses Issa and Rowan need to work together on the investigation into what is behind these attacks, leading to some delicious slow-burn chemistry between complete opposites. They are both able to slowly-but-surely, move beyond their petty past conflicts to find that there is more to their new partner-in-solving-crime than meets the eye.
Issa is a thrill-seeking, animal-loving, sexy dark sorceress who “looks like they could kill you/is actually a cinnamon roll… who could still kill you” and who wants to stretch herself beyond her family’s expectations to pursue a career in ready-to-wear fashion. Rowan is a lawfully good, rule-abiding vet who “looks like a cinnamon roll/is a cinnamon roll” and gives off major golden-boy energy. Both care deeply about their families and that care turns towards one another as the walls they’ve built up come down brick-by-brick. Issa’s ectoplasm recreation of the attack, Rowan introducing her to his family’s heart tree, Issa’s anxiety/panic attack scene, and Rowan taking her to the secret thermal baths all stand out as special moments that move this couple forward in big ways, physically and emotionally.
Plot-pacing and character development are really well done, especially as it pertains to exploring their family dynamics. Issa and Rowan unpacking how the death magic of the Avramov’s and green magic of the Thorn’s have affected their perspectives and prejudices of one another allow them to test just how well opposites attract.
The mystery element is engaging and keeps readers on their toes as these archenemies become lovers who really appreciate and support one another through the struggles they face. It would’ve been interesting to get chapters with Rowan’s POV, but Issa was a very likable and badass FMC who contains multitudes and is easy to root for.
This quote from Talia? comes to mind when I think of Issa’s contrasting traits and how beautifully complex she is (and the other Avramovs are!):
“It’s simple: disaster and hero, monster and martyr, beauty and beast… choose your own dichotomy. Because it does matter. We were always built to be both.”
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
I didn't read the first one in this series,but I don't think that took away anything. Quick witchy rom com. I liked the MMC more than the FMC, I related to him more.
4⭐️ for From Bad to Cursed book two, 4.5 ⭐️ for Paybacks a Witch book one
This book takes place 6 months after Paybacks and follows Talias younger and darker sister Issa. In the first book there is a mention that Issa likes to mess around with darker magic and wouldn’t be opposed to practicing some of the darker pages in the Avramov Grimoire. Also that something happened between her and Rowan Thorn a son of similar age in one of the other 4 magical founding families in Thistle grove but no one knows what happened. This book follows their enemies to lovers journey with a low stakes mystery of who cast a magic absorbing spell on one of the Thorns. They work together to solve this mystery because the Avramovs are the top suspects because of their historical feud.
A couple of steamy scenes saved the chemistry of the couple but the spice stayed at maybe a 2
This book takes place 6 months after Paybacks and follows Talias younger and darker sister Issa. In the first book there is a mention that Issa likes to mess around with darker magic and wouldn’t be opposed to practicing some of the darker pages in the Avramov Grimoire. Also that something happened between her and Rowan Thorn a son of similar age in one of the other 4 magical founding families in Thistle grove but no one knows what happened. This book follows their enemies to lovers journey with a low stakes mystery of who cast a magic absorbing spell on one of the Thorns. They work together to solve this mystery because the Avramovs are the top suspects because of their historical feud.
A couple of steamy scenes saved the chemistry of the couple but the spice stayed at maybe a 2
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I freaking love this series. It’s such fun cozy witchy romcom series and I’m hoping to get the rest in October!