A review by lauren_miller
The Woodsmoke Women's Book of Spells by Rachel Greenlaw

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

this book has a cold, blustery atmosphere and a healthy undercurrent of impending dread; if you go in having read the synopsis, there's not much hope to be found; for every step Carrie takes forward, something or someone around her seems to take two steps back, be it from guilt or actual magic. the whole plot feels kind of like a slow burn, demanding you wallow in the intergenerational trauma and fear of the almost sentient omnipotence of the mountains. everyone is unhappy in their own way, and even though we make strides towards healing and reforging friendships, it is always at the expense of something—health, trust, love. 

I enjoyed the whole plot surrounding the trio and Cora. I loved how meddlesome and bitter she was; in a way, she felt like the most real out of all of them, making bargains for her own agenda and never truly caring about the consequences till it isolated her from nearly everyone. I liked the resolution for Matthieu, but overall, I didn't feel real chemistry between him and Carrie; to be honest, he didn't feel real. And I know that's the point, but it made Carrie's desperation in that final conflict less impactful and romantic. I wasn't really rooting for them so much as just interested in whether or not Cora was right. I was definitely rooting for Jess and Carrie to reconcile though, and I while it didn't happen quite how I would have liked, I'm glad we got their in the end. Tom I can honestly take or leave. Even before he knew Carrie came back, he seemed pretty lame as a husband and father... 

Anyway, all that to say, while I did enjoy my reading experience, I'm not fully satisfied. A respectable 3.5 out of 5 stars, ⭐⭐⭐
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