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kassidyreads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-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
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Grief
Minor: Death of parent, Death, and Child death
lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I received a copy of this book in an OwlCrate box years ago, and finally made the time to read it now.
"Sweet & Bitter Magic" is a witchy story that brings together two strangers: Wren and Tamsin. Wren is a source, a rare person who is made of magic, but cannot use magic herself. She has always kept this a secret because she does not want to go to the Coven and leave her ill father to fend for himself. Tamsin is the most powerful witch of her generation, but she made a horrible magic mistake, and she was exiled from the Coven and cursed to never be able to feel love. Unfortunately, a magical plague has taken over, and Wren finds herself in desperate need to save her father, so she seeks out Tamsin's unique brand of "assistance".
This was a really fun, quick witchy book to kick of the spooky season. The magic system was very easy to follow, and pretty basic for the witches to use. I also really enjoyed that the magic yielders were witches, because it added to the atmosphere of the beginning of spooky season.
Wren and Tamsin were such a great pair to read from. They both bring strengths and weaknesses to the table, and I think they both really helped to flesh the other out. Because she is unable to feel love, Tamsin is a little rough around the edges. Wren, on the other hand, is overflowing with empathy and love for those in her life. Wren can be a little naive about the world, because she has been so insular for so long, while Tamsin is well-versed in how dark the magical world can be.
This book kind of reads like a debut because it was not a very high-level fantasy. Nothing felt particularly unique about the story, it just felt very average, which I would expect from a debut. This is not necessarily a bad thing, I enjoyed the story, but it was not very memorable for me.
I would recommend this to someone who wants a fun, easy, YA witch story.
"Sweet & Bitter Magic" is a witchy story that brings together two strangers: Wren and Tamsin. Wren is a source, a rare person who is made of magic, but cannot use magic herself. She has always kept this a secret because she does not want to go to the Coven and leave her ill father to fend for himself. Tamsin is the most powerful witch of her generation, but she made a horrible magic mistake, and she was exiled from the Coven and cursed to never be able to feel love. Unfortunately, a magical plague has taken over, and Wren finds herself in desperate need to save her father, so she seeks out Tamsin's unique brand of "assistance".
This was a really fun, quick witchy book to kick of the spooky season. The magic system was very easy to follow, and pretty basic for the witches to use. I also really enjoyed that the magic yielders were witches, because it added to the atmosphere of the beginning of spooky season.
Wren and Tamsin were such a great pair to read from. They both bring strengths and weaknesses to the table, and I think they both really helped to flesh the other out. Because she is unable to feel love, Tamsin is a little rough around the edges. Wren, on the other hand, is overflowing with empathy and love for those in her life. Wren can be a little naive about the world, because she has been so insular for so long, while Tamsin is well-versed in how dark the magical world can be.
This book kind of reads like a debut because it was not a very high-level fantasy. Nothing felt particularly unique about the story, it just felt very average, which I would expect from a debut. This is not necessarily a bad thing, I enjoyed the story, but it was not very memorable for me.
I would recommend this to someone who wants a fun, easy, YA witch story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
Moderate: Child death and Toxic relationship
stillinbeta's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
frantically's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
3.5
This was really adorable and I'd recommend it to anyone who's into YA witches! Not really my genre anymore but it made me feel nostalgic <3 I wish I would've had more books like this as a young sapphic girl.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Child death
Moderate: Death of parent
readabookortwo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
4.25
I really enjoyed this book!! I loved Tamsin and Wren so much and there were so many clever things that were put in things I didn’t always notice until I processed them half an hour later and I enjoyed my time with this book so much!!
The only thing taking it down for me is that the ending felt super rushed I could have seen another 100 or so pages but other than that I would highly recommend!!
The only thing taking it down for me is that the ending felt super rushed I could have seen another 100 or so pages but other than that I would highly recommend!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Vomit, Death of parent, Child death, Chronic illness, and Dementia
lucy_shanners's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Child death
Moderate: Blood, Vomit, and Violence
rensreading's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.0
for a book on the shorter spectrum, it scratched just about every itch i had coming into this.
i was hooked from the first chapter. a witch unable to love and taking love as payment anyway? sign me up! i adored tamsin. she was unknowingly self-destructive and swallowed up by her grief and guilt for years. i can’t imagine losing my twin sister at only 12 years old and being expected to be okay with her death. i definitely understand where tamsin was coming from even if she didn’t quite think through her options before acting.
wren trying to be the perfect daughter for her dad and putting her entire life on hold to take care of him spoke to me in more ways than one. i also headcanon that she had ADHD just from how often she would be distracted by the littlest of things, which tamsin pointed out in the end. sometimes, wren kind of annoyed me? but it was more so because she was too naive even after seeing some of the awful things wracking their queendom on the journey to Within. im glad that she stuck by tamsin when the worst was revealed, but i do wish she had been just a bit more hesitant when it came to trusting tamsin even if it did give them their happy ending.
through twists and turns, this book stayed true to its synopsis and for that i’ve gotta give it 4 stars (:
i was hooked from the first chapter. a witch unable to love and taking love as payment anyway? sign me up! i adored tamsin. she was unknowingly self-destructive and swallowed up by her grief and guilt for years. i can’t imagine losing my twin sister at only 12 years old and being expected to be okay with her death. i definitely understand where tamsin was coming from even if she didn’t quite think through her options before acting.
wren trying to be the perfect daughter for her dad and putting her entire life on hold to take care of him spoke to me in more ways than one. i also headcanon that she had ADHD just from how often she would be distracted by the littlest of things, which tamsin pointed out in the end. sometimes, wren kind of annoyed me? but it was more so because she was too naive even after seeing some of the awful things wracking their queendom on the journey to Within. im glad that she stuck by tamsin when the worst was revealed, but i do wish she had been just a bit more hesitant when it came to trusting tamsin even if it did give them their happy ending.
through twists and turns, this book stayed true to its synopsis and for that i’ve gotta give it 4 stars (:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
violet_pages's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, Violence, and Dementia
Moderate: Chronic illness, Vomit, Murder, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Torture
Minor: Death of parent and Suicidal thoughts
wet_towlette's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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 want a Tamsin. Where do I get one.
I wish I could find more words to describe why I liked this book so much, but I think sometimes when you enjoy something enough, there isn’t really words. It was just so good and I didn’t want to put it down. It’s not perfect by any means but it was entertaining and I liked the writing style.
I wish I could find more words to describe why I liked this book so much, but I think sometimes when you enjoy something enough, there isn’t really words. It was just so good and I didn’t want to put it down. It’s not perfect by any means but it was entertaining and I liked the writing style.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Grief, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, and Vomit
angstifies's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
- 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
a really enjoyable book with a sort of cozy fantasy world and sweet characters who have to go on a journey together to end a magical plague and it’s SAPPHIC so i obviously liked it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Vomit, and Murder