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tetrootz's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Body horror, Blood, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity
Minor: Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Stalking, and Alcoholism
wilybooklover's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
There was a bit too much family drama for my personal tastes, but this was ridiculously bonkers in the BEST way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Blood, Violence, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual content and Death
katievallin's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Infidelity
attolis's review against another edition
3.5
Slightly unhinged in an almost kind of stupid way but it's genuinely funny enough that, once you get through the first 20%, it's more or less delightful.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship
whatbeccareadnext's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book is absolutely BANANAS and I loved every second of it.
I have enjoyed all of Sarah Hogle's books - she has a wonderful knack for coming up with romances that don't necessarily fit into the cookie cutter romance tropes that we see in lots of novels. This book was so charming and full of Christmas magic, and if it ever gets made into a made-for-TV movie, it had better be starring Lacey Chabert iykyk.
I have enjoyed all of Sarah Hogle's books - she has a wonderful knack for coming up with romances that don't necessarily fit into the cookie cutter romance tropes that we see in lots of novels. This book was so charming and full of Christmas magic, and if it ever gets made into a made-for-TV movie, it had better be starring Lacey Chabert iykyk.
Content Warnings
Minor: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
bookcheshirecat's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.5
“The best revenge is making peace with a past you can’t change and figuring out how to make the future a happier place for yourself to live in. That’s how you come out on top.”
➽ Just Like Magic is a goofy, festive rom-com and I loved it!! The premise is a bit outrageous, but that's just right up my alley! The story follows Bettie Hughes, the granddaughter of a famous actress who is now broke and homeless and trying to hide her predicament from her family. Bettie's a great unlikable main character, as she's often very petty and out to get revenge on the people who made fun of her in any way. Yet there's also a vulnerability in her that she usually keeps hidden from her family. Plus, she can be pretty funny and creative in her plans of revenge, so I found her very entertaining! When she accidentally summons a holiday spirit called Hall, Bettie finally has the magical means to make all her dreams come true and she's fully planning to take advantage of her luck!
➽ I adored Hall and his relationship with Bettie!! The audiobook is fantastic because it really brings both of their personalities to life. While Bettie is jaded and gleefully planning her revenge, Hall is jolly, optimistic and has a huge heart! I loved him immediately, as he's naturally kind, a bit awkward and also shocked at Bettie's plans. Nevertheless, since she summoned him, he has to obey her wishes. Bettie is ready to show her family that she's not a failure and introduces Hall as her boyfriend. I loved how the fake dating played out here, especially as Bettie cannot help but be charmed by Hall's innocent charm and wonder for the world. There are so many hilarious situations and I had the best time listening to this book!
➽ Just Like Magic is a goofy, festive rom-com and I loved it!! The premise is a bit outrageous, but that's just right up my alley! The story follows Bettie Hughes, the granddaughter of a famous actress who is now broke and homeless and trying to hide her predicament from her family. Bettie's a great unlikable main character, as she's often very petty and out to get revenge on the people who made fun of her in any way. Yet there's also a vulnerability in her that she usually keeps hidden from her family. Plus, she can be pretty funny and creative in her plans of revenge, so I found her very entertaining! When she accidentally summons a holiday spirit called Hall, Bettie finally has the magical means to make all her dreams come true and she's fully planning to take advantage of her luck!
➽ I adored Hall and his relationship with Bettie!! The audiobook is fantastic because it really brings both of their personalities to life. While Bettie is jaded and gleefully planning her revenge, Hall is jolly, optimistic and has a huge heart! I loved him immediately, as he's naturally kind, a bit awkward and also shocked at Bettie's plans. Nevertheless, since she summoned him, he has to obey her wishes. Bettie is ready to show her family that she's not a failure and introduces Hall as her boyfriend. I loved how the fake dating played out here, especially as Bettie cannot help but be charmed by Hall's innocent charm and wonder for the world. There are so many hilarious situations and I had the best time listening to this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Toxic relationship
kestrel's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Utterly chaotic and sweet. I can't believe Sarah Hogle managed to get a crack fic published. Respect 🙌🏻
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
vagrantheather's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Super strange and cute. Love Sarah Hogle. So absurd.
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcohol, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
decklededgess's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
trigger warnings: death mention, emotional abuse, cyber bullying and harassment, bankruptcy, physical injury, infidelity
Dudes when I tell you I was ready to hate…you’re about to market a holiday book scrooge style as a romance??? but then. BUT THEN. The main character spent a sentence too long describing the Holiday Spirit’s eye colour and i went OH YESSSSS
So as you can tell, it’s a romance between Bettie (scorned and bankrupt socialite from a celebrity family) plays Mariah Carey’s vinyl and summons Hall ie Holiday Spirit with sunshine shining out of his ass in addition to every pore of his body. Hall is determined to make Bettie happy. And Bettie realises she likes seeing Hall happy. You see what’s going on? Except of course that if Hall completes his mission he is gone so…
This was so spectacular in its outlandish sense of fabulism and humour. Bertie’s family is a bunch of fucking weirdo celebrities which makes them basically any other large family but people recognise them. It was such fun to see how they all managed to overcome their own hang ups with each other and learn to live and be happy outside of “public image.”
And of course the romance between Bettie and Hall is one of those “you better not make this a she found love but learnt to love herself along the way even though she was lone IM WARNING YOU” books. I won’t tell you which way it goes because that’s of course the whole fun of it. But everyone IS happy because these books are required to have a HEA. 😌
Dudes when I tell you I was ready to hate…you’re about to market a holiday book scrooge style as a romance??? but then. BUT THEN. The main character spent a sentence too long describing the Holiday Spirit’s eye colour and i went OH YESSSSS
So as you can tell, it’s a romance between Bettie (scorned and bankrupt socialite from a celebrity family) plays Mariah Carey’s vinyl and summons Hall ie Holiday Spirit with sunshine shining out of his ass in addition to every pore of his body. Hall is determined to make Bettie happy. And Bettie realises she likes seeing Hall happy. You see what’s going on? Except of course that if Hall completes his mission he is gone so…
This was so spectacular in its outlandish sense of fabulism and humour. Bertie’s family is a bunch of fucking weirdo celebrities which makes them basically any other large family but people recognise them. It was such fun to see how they all managed to overcome their own hang ups with each other and learn to live and be happy outside of “public image.”
And of course the romance between Bettie and Hall is one of those “you better not make this a she found love but learnt to love herself along the way even though she was lone IM WARNING YOU” books. I won’t tell you which way it goes because that’s of course the whole fun of it. But everyone IS happy because these books are required to have a HEA. 😌
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Death
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