Reviews with content warning for Cursing - From Bad to Cursed

Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

From Bad to Cursed by Lana Harper

9 reviews

bebidocrimes's review

funny lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I like the characters and their relationships, but the mystery wasn't much of one no matter how long it took the characters to figure it out. Toward the end, the explanations and apologies kinda dragged on and I never thought a family bonding scene could be so overbearingly sweet. Plus, the C-plot of Isa wanting to break from family tradition didn't seem to have the stakes I think it was intended to. I love the writing style, but I'm not sure I need to continue on the Thistle Grove series.

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augustar14's review

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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emilywemily6's review against another edition

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lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

This book didn’t hit like the first one. I didn’t like the relationship dynamic of these characters as much, and felt like it developed quickly and incongruously with their behavior towards each other (though I love Rowan Thorne!). The plot was weaker than the last book as well. And while I appreciated that this book brought up racial prejudices, it did so in a way that felt forced. I also could not get behind Issa’s worries in doing something different from her family to follow her heart. Still a fun book, as a cozy, witchy romance should be, but more on the mediocre side.

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just_one_more_paige's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-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

4.0

“End of the day, we’re all living beings, right? And everything alive just wants to feel like they’re not in this alone.”

I read Payback’s a Witch, the first book in the Witches of Thistle Grove romance series, last year right around this time. And honestly, I loved it. So much fun. So much magic. So much bisexual lady love and a solid side of joined-together-in-righteous-vengeance female power. So, this next one has been on my “ready for another romance read” shortlist. With the very busy lead up to the Holidays (working education-adjacent during this time of year is…intense), I needed this to keep me grounded/distracted. And it was just right for that.

From Bad to Cursed focuses on Isadora Avramov (Talia’s younger sister), widely known as a powerful witch of the darker Avramov style, leaning into the evil-sorceress projection with her thrill seeking and demon summoning and overall vibe. When very dark, very dangerous magic threatens Thistle Grove’s Beltane celebrations, targeting the green/nature magic Thorn family, the Avramov’s are the obvious suspects. But they know their family didn’t do this. So, Isadora (as Avramov representative) and Rowan Thorn (Thorn representative, and all around frustratingly rule-following, “too good” guy), are tasked with tracking down the truth. And though their families have long been at loggerheads and Issa and Rowan have been each other’s archenemy for years, they realize, after spending so much time together, that they each were a bit blinded by history and assumptions and might, in fact, not hate each other at all.

Will I ever have enough of magic witchy romances? Unlikely. And while I have to be honest tell you that I was a bigger fan of Payback’s a Witch than this one, I also have to say that I sped right through and thoroughly enjoyed this. First, Thistle Grove remains a place that I wish I could live. It was so much its own character in the first book and I was thrilled that it continued to get developed here. Reading about the details of swearing on Lady’s Lake, First Dew ceremony, all the preparation for Beltane, the details of the Emporium and Honeycake Orchards…it was all wonderful. I love the sense of place (and if you are a GG fan, you’ll maybe notice some Stars Hollow vibes that you’ll really like). I was also super into Issa’s vibe. That dark lace and intense self-assurance vibe (a la Wednesday Addams) is always one that I thought was really cool and a bit too out of reach for me personally…so as such, the characters that have it in spades always tend to be my favorites.

As far as the romance, obviously an important piece of the plot, the grudging romance was really well done. Neither Issa nor Rowan wanted it to be happening, but the physical attraction/connection was strong enough that they tried harder than they otherwise might have to see each other’s perspectives, which opened them up to realizing they may have had some misconceptions about each other. Plus, the time they were forced to spend together was enough that their “true personalities” were given space to shine (no one can act that thoroughly). So, yea, it developed well. And the sexual tension was fantastic. The few kisses and steamy scenes were nicely written. I’m not sure that I’m totally bought into them being successful long term…however, the end made it clear both were willing to put in the effort to keep evolving, so I’ll take it. The mystery aspects of the plot were good too. It was enough of a framework, their sleuthing, to be believable without taking over. And the way the small clues scattered throughout came together in the end was smoothly done. I thought the culprit was perhaps an easy out, but the way it played out did fit the facts and situation, so I’m accepting it.

Harper tried to add in a few deeper elements, like Issa’s mental health and her dreams/goals that didn’t line up with family expectations, as well as the prejudice pieces (racial and magical). In the end, it felt more like a good try that a successful attempt, used more as plot devices than developed in their own right with any real depth. It wasn’t (IMO) done so poorly as to be offensive, but it just was surface-level and, even though it shouldn’t have felt this way because they were all legit issues, seemed somewhat contrived. Anyways, nothing bad, necessarily, just some “could have been better” things.

This was the magical, entertaining romance (with a surprise side of light mystery) that I wanted it to be. Nothing profound, and not a new fav as the first book was, but absolutely the romantic escapism with a side of enchantment (literal and figurative) that I was hoping for. A great follow-up and I am back to looking forward to more from Thistle Grove!

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ashlikes's review against another edition

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adventurous funny 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

4.0

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stacy837's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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aimzthereader's review

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Love the setting . The magic. The writing style and narration . The characters I enjoyed but not as much as first one. Tension and romance was good even if it was heterosexual. I preferred the first one bc of sapphic relationship and more characters actually had parts in it .

I wish there was more action and more explaination of the celebrations bc I enjoyed the mystery solving and the celebration

I liked the end . Wished there was a bit less angst.

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forrestalexander's review

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adventurous funny 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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purplepenning's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Thistle Grove continues to be the small Midwestern town of your diverse, contemporary, witchy romance dreams!

In this latest installment, powerful dark sorceress Isidora (Issa) Avramov has to partner with her nemesis, the disgustingly noble and handsome, I mean… wholesome green magic user Rowan Thorn. They're investigating a decidedly unwholesome hex that badly injured a Beltane festival queen candidate. A hex associated with the Avramov family. A candidate from the Thorn family. With magics and personalities that mix like oil and water, can Issa and Rowan find a way to uncover the truth before the growing danger destroys them, their families, and the safety of Thistle Grove?

This is a fun, moderately steamy read with a main character who is allowed to be a whole complicated, strong, dark, powerful, chaotic, creative, cuddly, sweet person — who is finding her way in the world. Her love interest isn't quite as well developed but feels like a good, solid, trustworthy, swoon-worthy match. The characters are mid-twenties (I think?), but overall it reads like new adult to me — which isn't a criticism, since I think it's definitely a niche that needs filling.

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