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stagemanaginger's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
4.0
I enjoyed it! I feel like people describing the vibe of it as Gilmore Girls meets mystery made me think it would be cozy? I wouldn’t say this is a proper cozy read. That being said, I really enjoyed it and watching the mystery unravel. I wish there was more explicit witchiness throughout the whole story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Violence, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
openbookheartmind's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
slvt4b00ks's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I read this book very fast so I would say I was invested in how things turned out but the only wow factor was really the twist at the end. The author does paint a very vivid picture with beautiful words which I can appreciate, but I just felt like it fell flat.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Violence, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Cancer, Death, Drug use, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Murder, Gaslighting, Police brutality, and Pregnancy
yruss972's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
More a mystery book than anything else. Similar to Harlan Coben books- mystery from the past comes to light in the present.
Very little magic involved.
Pseudo-suspenseful.
Very little magic involved.
Pseudo-suspenseful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Pregnancy
sierrau1's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Wow. I hope this book gets more hype. I thoroughly enjoyed almost the whole thing. The imagery and plot twists really kept me tied in. The beginning was slow and hard for me to get into, but after that, man it was a roller coaster!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
heatherjchin's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Suicide, Death of parent, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Self harm, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Animal death, Death, and Alcohol
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
Minor: Gun violence, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Cannibalism, and Child abuse
bakunzi1990's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Damn this isn't my normal type of read at all. But this was so amazing. The setting was my favorite following closely with the writing. The World building was top notch and also extremely believable.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Physical abuse
Minor: Pregnancy and Stalking
lovelymisanthrope's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I received this book in a FairyLoot box, and I was very excited to give it a read!
"Spells for Forgetting" follows Emery, a young woman who as a teenager swore, she would never stay in her hometown of Saoirse Island. On the eve of her planned escape into the real world, her best friend is found murdered, and the court of public opinion places the blame on Emery's one true love: August. Now, well into their adult years, August has returned to the island to lay his recently deceased mother to rest. Can Emery and August rekindle what was stolen from them and uncover the truth about what happened decades ago?
This book is the perfect fall read, and I wish I would have picked it up in October. August's family owns an orchard and all of the details and descriptions about the island and orchard made me crave changing leaves and sweet apples. Small town, close-knit stories about places like Saoirse Island also always make me think of cooler weather.
This story was well-crafted and interesting. From the beginning, I was sucked into the story and committed to proving that August was set up and someone was hiding something far more sinister. I loved that this felt like Emery and August were getting a second chance, but their "love story" did not overshadow the mystery of this book.
I had a really great time reading this, and I look forward to picking up more from Adrienne Young in the future.
"Spells for Forgetting" follows Emery, a young woman who as a teenager swore, she would never stay in her hometown of Saoirse Island. On the eve of her planned escape into the real world, her best friend is found murdered, and the court of public opinion places the blame on Emery's one true love: August. Now, well into their adult years, August has returned to the island to lay his recently deceased mother to rest. Can Emery and August rekindle what was stolen from them and uncover the truth about what happened decades ago?
This book is the perfect fall read, and I wish I would have picked it up in October. August's family owns an orchard and all of the details and descriptions about the island and orchard made me crave changing leaves and sweet apples. Small town, close-knit stories about places like Saoirse Island also always make me think of cooler weather.
This story was well-crafted and interesting. From the beginning, I was sucked into the story and committed to proving that August was set up and someone was hiding something far more sinister. I loved that this felt like Emery and August were getting a second chance, but their "love story" did not overshadow the mystery of this book.
I had a really great time reading this, and I look forward to picking up more from Adrienne Young in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, Grief, Violence, and Hate crime
Minor: Alcohol
jennshelfishlife's review
dark
sad
tense
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
Off the coast of Washington, there is a small island named Saiorse. The island and its inhabitants are magical, albeit some characters are quite nefarious in their magical practices.
Within this magical setting, we meet our main characters, Emery and August, soulmates that are separated as a result of several horrific incidents until August returns to bury his mother.
When August returns, readers will slowly learn about the events that led to Emery and August's separation. And what a sad and awful tale it is! While reading, I learned about the magic, folklore, and evil in Saiorse. The evil results from bitter envy among some residents and what they will do to regain their standing on the island.
Spells for Forgetting is a lovely love story, and readers will root for Emery and August while wanting to know what led to August's forced exile.
Kudos to the great atmosphere and the sweet love story.
Within this magical setting, we meet our main characters, Emery and August, soulmates that are separated as a result of several horrific incidents until August returns to bury his mother.
When August returns, readers will slowly learn about the events that led to Emery and August's separation. And what a sad and awful tale it is! While reading, I learned about the magic, folklore, and evil in Saiorse. The evil results from bitter envy among some residents and what they will do to regain their standing on the island.
Spells for Forgetting is a lovely love story, and readers will root for Emery and August while wanting to know what led to August's forced exile.
Kudos to the great atmosphere and the sweet love story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Murder
kearstenkeepsreading's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
5.0
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for providing an arc for an honest review.
I was hooked on this book from the very beginning! From the descriptions of the island to the complicated relationships that make up the small town. I love that the Island is described as alive and how it has molded the lives of those that live there. How it affects everything and what the townspeople will do to protect it. I was kept on the edge of my seat until the very end and loved every moment of it! Adrienne Young teased apart the intricate web of magic, heartbreak and secrets that shrouded the island. There are multiple different POV's and timelines but it all flowed so beautifully. It's the perfect spooky season read and would pair well with a warm fire on a rainy night.
I was hooked on this book from the very beginning! From the descriptions of the island to the complicated relationships that make up the small town. I love that the Island is described as alive and how it has molded the lives of those that live there. How it affects everything and what the townspeople will do to protect it. I was kept on the edge of my seat until the very end and loved every moment of it! Adrienne Young teased apart the intricate web of magic, heartbreak and secrets that shrouded the island. There are multiple different POV's and timelines but it all flowed so beautifully. It's the perfect spooky season read and would pair well with a warm fire on a rainy night.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Violence