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shelf_blame 's review for:
Sweet & Bitter Magic
by Adrienne Tooley
Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!
Tamsin is the most powerful witch of her generation. Able to cast spells with a mere flick of her wrist. But when she's banished from the witch's realm for using dark magic in desperation and cursed by taking away her ability to love, she finds herself living a meager existence in the human world. Wren is a source, able to see magic and boost the power of witches. She's hidden this fact from everyone, determined to be taken to the witch's realm and forced to leave her sick father. But when a dark plague sweeps the land, Wren and Tamsin find themselves on a journey to find and stop it before it destroys the world.
I really love the concept of this book. It's a sapphic love story with one of our leading ladies unable to love. Tamsin can't even do simple things like enjoy the warmth of a fire or taste something delicious, that's how deep her curse goes. It's definitely a grumpy/sunshine pairing, and I enjoyed their back-and-forth banter. The 'Within' - the witch's realm - was cool to see and learn about, and I was excited to see a school for witches in this environment.
That said, I didn't love this book like I really wanted to. I didn't feel connected to the characters, and I was confused about Tamsin's curse. It's explained somewhat right at the end, but it kept throwing me throughout the book. The plot itself was an interesting story, but I wanted more world-building. I would've really loved to see more of the school and the council that made the decisions. Even Arwyn, who seemed like she would be a really good bad guy, I didn't get enough of. Everything was built up for the end, but it just seemed a bit anticlimactic.
It's a quick and fun read, and I'd still recommend it for anyone who wants some witchy, sapphic goodness. I don't think it'll be a re-read for me, though.
Tamsin is the most powerful witch of her generation. Able to cast spells with a mere flick of her wrist. But when she's banished from the witch's realm for using dark magic in desperation and cursed by taking away her ability to love, she finds herself living a meager existence in the human world. Wren is a source, able to see magic and boost the power of witches. She's hidden this fact from everyone, determined to be taken to the witch's realm and forced to leave her sick father. But when a dark plague sweeps the land, Wren and Tamsin find themselves on a journey to find and stop it before it destroys the world.
I really love the concept of this book. It's a sapphic love story with one of our leading ladies unable to love. Tamsin can't even do simple things like enjoy the warmth of a fire or taste something delicious, that's how deep her curse goes. It's definitely a grumpy/sunshine pairing, and I enjoyed their back-and-forth banter. The 'Within' - the witch's realm - was cool to see and learn about, and I was excited to see a school for witches in this environment.
That said, I didn't love this book like I really wanted to. I didn't feel connected to the characters, and I was confused about Tamsin's curse. It's explained somewhat right at the end, but it kept throwing me throughout the book. The plot itself was an interesting story, but I wanted more world-building. I would've really loved to see more of the school and the council that made the decisions. Even Arwyn, who seemed like she would be a really good bad guy, I didn't get enough of. Everything was built up for the end, but it just seemed a bit anticlimactic.
It's a quick and fun read, and I'd still recommend it for anyone who wants some witchy, sapphic goodness. I don't think it'll be a re-read for me, though.