Reviews

When I read the blurb for this book I was so excited. It had such potential to be a great story but it suffered from poorly developed characters and just not a great story. The setting, Salem, also could have been lush but instead it was underdeveloped. I also hate the miscommunication and misunderstanding trope of the parent/child relationship and in this story it's tied up really quickly and with a hollywood style ending. Mason's story was interesting and I would have liked to have a whole book dedicated to his story. I think the two main characters could have had a great friendship story, the romance felt forced. The aunts had potential to be cool but I couldn't differentiate them, they were like one big caricature of witchy women. Like Disney witches. Like if all the witches in Hocus Pocus were mixed together into one person.

There were just so many missed opportunities with this book. I will be interested to see what my MS readers think.

What worked:
-lightly magical
-good for my romance readers

elladipi's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional lighthearted medium-paced

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

5.0

alexa336's review against another edition

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3.0

It was good. I’m not really articulate

hea210's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

thepagelady's review against another edition

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5.0

Book Review…Spells for Lost Things by Jenna Evans Welch

Willow has never felt like she belonged anywhere and is convinced that the only way to find a true home is to travel the world. But her plans to act on her dream are put on hold when her absent mother drags Willow to Salem, to wrap up the affairs of an aunt Willow didn’t even know she had. An aunt who may or may not have been a witch.

There, she meets Mason. Naturally pulled to one another, Willow and Mason set out to discover the secrets of her family. During all of this, the two can’t help but act on their natural connection. But with the amount of baggage between them and Willow’s growing conviction her family might be cursed can they manage to hold onto each other?

I'm usually not big on the small town romance novels but this one was wonderful! It has a touch of magic, first love and mystery but it's that mixed with the real life situations that make it a compelling story. The story is told from two points of view, Mason and Willows and they both have a powerful story that pulls you in and always wanting more. This is probably one of my favorite books this year. It reminded me why I love reading young adult books! Thank you Rockstar Book Tours and Jenna Evans Welch for sharing this book with me!

sunflowersyd's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*Review is based on the audiobook*
This was such a good cozy magical realism YA book! I had a hard time relating to the FMC because she has a passion to live a more nomadic life, but I still liked the character. The MMC was wonderful too. His character had more emotion tied to it. The POV switches between the two characters. If you have a parent who has issues with addiction, this book may be a bit triggering (just a heads up). Wonderful book! I recommend if you want an easy read 😊

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