Scan barcode
Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'
A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley
50 reviews
lme417's review against another edition
funny
medium-paced
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
bookcasey's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Minor nitpick: There is a throwaway comment that makes no sense, and I would encourage the author to learn more about ADHD. It’s pretty ridiculous to have a character explicitly say they don’t have ADHD and then give said character a whole slate of neurodivergent traits - including a lot of the signs of ADHD.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Emotional abuse
Minor: Death of parent and Xenophobia
The toxic relationships are betweenhazelgirl21's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Animal death
rai_ishardtoplease's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-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
3.0
“Plants gave of themselves so freely, so selflessly, even though people trampled them or plucked them or chopped them down to make way for buildings.
Mariel had wanted to give herself that freely, too. To present her beating heart to someone and, for once, have them honor and guard it.”
I was really looking forward to this. Witchy rom-coms might be my comfort (sub) genre. Cozy, wacky, and magical is practically a cure-all for me.
Is this a witchy rom-com? Yes.
Is it cozy, wacky, and magical? I guess.
But did it clear my skin and briefly restore my faith in humanity? Not really. It’s a little too noncommittal for that, as if the author kept bouncing back and forth between wanting to do it all or just skip right to the good stuff. Some might call it enthusiastic… others might consider that a euphemism for over-indulgent.
Then again, not everyone’s so dreadfully cynical… so wtf do I know 🤷♀️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Self harm and Suicidal thoughts
kloughlin's review against another edition
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
There’s way too much jammed into one book so that nothing was explored on more than a superficial level: child prophecy, major magical mishap, destructive construction underway, seasonal festival, and a gardening competition. I gave it an extra half star for a handful of funny moments.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual content and Cursing
author2223's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Emotional abuse
natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
A deliciously witchy, paranormal rom-com that’s bursting with humour, whimsy and plenty of steamy romance—I was hooked!
It follows Mariel Spark,prophesied at birth to be the most powerful witch in generations. The only problem is, she’s absolutely terrible at spell-work and much prefers gardening magic over the flashy spells her mother favours.
But when a spell goes wrong, Mariel inadvertently summons herself a demon—and an unbreakable soul bargain.
Now the demon, Ozroth the Ruthless (who is a legend among his kind) can’t leave Mariel’s side until she agrees to sign over her soul, otherwise he’ll be stuck with her forever—something neither of them wants.
With Mariel now stuck with a demon for a roommate and a family who already see her as a disappointment, she knows she can’t tell them about her mistake. Instead Mariel announces that she and Oz are dating as they both try to find a way the break the bargain.
And the more time they spend together, the more their attraction grows. But Ozroth is on a deadline, and if he succeeds in his goal he’ll damn Mariel to a life without magic or emotion and doom any chance they have at a relationship forever…
I LOVED this! It was such a fun and thoroughly entertaining read that witchy romance lovers are guaranteed to enjoy. The magical world building was really rich and I loved the vast variety of magical beings and creatures we encounter. From naiads and centaurs to pixies and werewolves there is soo much (magical) diversity. And getting to explore how they all live together (and at quite close proximity) within the fairly small community of Glimmer Falls was really rather interesting.
But of course, the main draw was our utterly adorable witchy protagonist, Mariel and her scorchingly swoon-worthy, romance with the broodingly sexy Ozroth.
Sarah Hawley has done a spectacular job at crafting such emotionally complex and three dimensional characters I couldn’t help but love (and root for).
Mariel, our FMC is such a kindhearted and chaotically inquisitive character who practically radiates sunshine. She’s also pretty sensitive and wears her heart on her sleeve, so her scenes with her mum (and the merciless put downs about her competency and magical abilities was super heartbreaking to witness.)
However, I did love seeing her grow in confidence and learn to overcome her insecurities— especially when she stopped caring what everyone else thought, focused on herself and learned to accept herself and her powers as they are (whilst becoming an absolute badass in the process.)
Ozroth, our MMC was just as loveable as Mariel in all his grumpy, dramatic and overly protective glory. I absolutely loved how sweet and marshmallowy he was once you get past his ferocious, tough guy exterior.
The banter was really good, and not just between Mariel and Ozroth! I adored the hilariously witty back and forths between Mariel’s mum, Diantha and Mariel’s (super ancient) great-great-great (by a lot) grandfather, Alzapraz. Trust me, his dialogue is pure sass and I’m certain he only lives to torment Diantha.
Overall, a witty, feel good fantasy romance that fans of Erin Sterling, plant magic or the fake dating/ opposites attract tropes definitely don’t want to miss.
And with the teaser we get for (Mariel’s bestie) Calladia’s book, I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of A Demon’s Guide To Wooing A Witch.
Also a huge thank you to Javerya over at Gollancz for this absolutely stunning proof copy.
It follows Mariel Spark,prophesied at birth to be the most powerful witch in generations. The only problem is, she’s absolutely terrible at spell-work and much prefers gardening magic over the flashy spells her mother favours.
But when a spell goes wrong, Mariel inadvertently summons herself a demon—and an unbreakable soul bargain.
Now the demon, Ozroth the Ruthless (who is a legend among his kind) can’t leave Mariel’s side until she agrees to sign over her soul, otherwise he’ll be stuck with her forever—something neither of them wants.
With Mariel now stuck with a demon for a roommate and a family who already see her as a disappointment, she knows she can’t tell them about her mistake. Instead Mariel announces that she and Oz are dating as they both try to find a way the break the bargain.
And the more time they spend together, the more their attraction grows. But Ozroth is on a deadline, and if he succeeds in his goal he’ll damn Mariel to a life without magic or emotion and doom any chance they have at a relationship forever…
I LOVED this! It was such a fun and thoroughly entertaining read that witchy romance lovers are guaranteed to enjoy. The magical world building was really rich and I loved the vast variety of magical beings and creatures we encounter. From naiads and centaurs to pixies and werewolves there is soo much (magical) diversity. And getting to explore how they all live together (and at quite close proximity) within the fairly small community of Glimmer Falls was really rather interesting.
But of course, the main draw was our utterly adorable witchy protagonist, Mariel and her scorchingly swoon-worthy, romance with the broodingly sexy Ozroth.
Sarah Hawley has done a spectacular job at crafting such emotionally complex and three dimensional characters I couldn’t help but love (and root for).
Mariel, our FMC is such a kindhearted and chaotically inquisitive character who practically radiates sunshine. She’s also pretty sensitive and wears her heart on her sleeve, so her scenes with her mum (and the merciless put downs about her competency and magical abilities was super heartbreaking to witness.)
However, I did love seeing her grow in confidence and learn to overcome her insecurities— especially when she stopped caring what everyone else thought, focused on herself and learned to accept herself and her powers as they are (whilst becoming an absolute badass in the process.)
Ozroth, our MMC was just as loveable as Mariel in all his grumpy, dramatic and overly protective glory. I absolutely loved how sweet and marshmallowy he was once you get past his ferocious, tough guy exterior.
The banter was really good, and not just between Mariel and Ozroth! I adored the hilariously witty back and forths between Mariel’s mum, Diantha and Mariel’s (super ancient) great-great-great (by a lot) grandfather, Alzapraz. Trust me, his dialogue is pure sass and I’m certain he only lives to torment Diantha.
Overall, a witty, feel good fantasy romance that fans of Erin Sterling, plant magic or the fake dating/ opposites attract tropes definitely don’t want to miss.
And with the teaser we get for (Mariel’s bestie) Calladia’s book, I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of A Demon’s Guide To Wooing A Witch.
Also a huge thank you to Javerya over at Gollancz for this absolutely stunning proof copy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship
chronicallybookish's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
<i>Quick Stats</i>
<b>Age Rating: 18+</b>
<i>Spice Level: 3/5</i>
Over All: 4.25 stars
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
<i>Special thanks to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for an eARC of this book! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.</i>
This book was such a good time. It was fast and funny, swoony and spicy, and just the right amount of cliche and campiness. I’m loving the uptick in these witchy, paranormal romcoms. They’re perfect for Halloween and spooky season, yes, but they’re so much fun all year round too!
I honestly have to say this is one of my favorite iterations I’ve read. Now, I may be a little biased because I happen to live in Washington State so I adored the ode to our beautiful nature (even if this version was fantasy-ified), but the plot of this book was so engaging.
Mariel is supposed to be the strongest witch ever known, but she’s incapable of successfully completing even the simplest of spells. When a summoning goes wrong, she finds a demon in the middle of her pentagram…not the flour she’d been trying for. Now, she’s bound into a magical contract with Ozroth the Ruthless, the unfortunate sumonee of her failed spell. She owes him her soul. But Mariel’s not about to give <i>that</i> up any time soon, and now Oz is magically bound to her side until she does. Oz is desperate to prove himself to his mentor and steal Mariel’s soul, but these pesky little feelings keep getting in the way.
I’m obsessed with this premise. Not only does it offer up a healthy heaping of angst, but it also leads to some of the best tropes enemies/opposition to lovers, forced proximity, magical mayhem, and more! Literally what else could you ask for?
The romance did feel a little bit rushed in the beginning. I wasn’t totally sold at first, but as it went on Mariel and Oz’s connection really did deepen as the story went on, and I was fully convinced before too long. Similarly there were a couple of plot holes and aspects of the world building that didn’t fully make sense, but it was all pretty minor.
Don’t go into this expecting a masterpiece of fantasy literature, but if you’re looking for a steamy, fun read with a paranormal twist that will have you laughing, smiling, and swooning, look no further.
<b>Age Rating: 18+</b>
<i>Spice Level: 3/5</i>
Over All: 4.25 stars
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
<i>Special thanks to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for an eARC of this book! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.</i>
This book was such a good time. It was fast and funny, swoony and spicy, and just the right amount of cliche and campiness. I’m loving the uptick in these witchy, paranormal romcoms. They’re perfect for Halloween and spooky season, yes, but they’re so much fun all year round too!
I honestly have to say this is one of my favorite iterations I’ve read. Now, I may be a little biased because I happen to live in Washington State so I adored the ode to our beautiful nature (even if this version was fantasy-ified), but the plot of this book was so engaging.
Mariel is supposed to be the strongest witch ever known, but she’s incapable of successfully completing even the simplest of spells. When a summoning goes wrong, she finds a demon in the middle of her pentagram…not the flour she’d been trying for. Now, she’s bound into a magical contract with Ozroth the Ruthless, the unfortunate sumonee of her failed spell. She owes him her soul. But Mariel’s not about to give <i>that</i> up any time soon, and now Oz is magically bound to her side until she does. Oz is desperate to prove himself to his mentor and steal Mariel’s soul, but these pesky little feelings keep getting in the way.
I’m obsessed with this premise. Not only does it offer up a healthy heaping of angst, but it also leads to some of the best tropes enemies/opposition to lovers, forced proximity, magical mayhem, and more! Literally what else could you ask for?
The romance did feel a little bit rushed in the beginning. I wasn’t totally sold at first, but as it went on Mariel and Oz’s connection really did deepen as the story went on, and I was fully convinced before too long. Similarly there were a couple of plot holes and aspects of the world building that didn’t fully make sense, but it was all pretty minor.
Don’t go into this expecting a masterpiece of fantasy literature, but if you’re looking for a steamy, fun read with a paranormal twist that will have you laughing, smiling, and swooning, look no further.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship
adancewithbooks's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.
A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon is one of my most anticipated releases for this year so of course when I got the chance to read it early I jumped on board.
To be fair I had to suspend disbelief a little when it came to the start of the plot. Summoning a demon who wants to make a deal for your soul who you then start fake dating without making a deal, seems a little iffy at best plot wise. But then the rest of the book absolutely made up for that.
I quite enjoyed Mariel as a character. Being a part of a prophecy and then not living up to it (as par how her mother wants) is really hard. Despite her family smacking her down on any occasion, she remains a very upbeat person who is gentle to those around her. I was glad to see that her uncle came around and talked some good sense into her parents.
Her relationship with Oz was a joy to read. The way he looked at her, saw what nobody else saw. He saw the real Mariel, wanting her to accept herself for who she is. While at the same time he can't accept the soul that is residing within himself. But she sees it in him. Their attraction was clear on the page.
Its a heart felt, fluffy magical romance that I found great to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Sexual content
Toxic Familyheadinthepages's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
Lighthearted and fun to read with some steamy scenes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Drug use, and Sexual content
More...