A review by mv_reads
The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall

1.5

I had such high hopes for this book, especially with the enticing promise of a "Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic" vibe. However, it left me with mixed feelings. 

To be honest, it fell short on the Gilmore Girls theme and seemed to try a bit too hard to mimic Practical Magic. Some plot points left me scratching my head, and not all of them seemed necessary. 
The main "romantic" relationship had me cringing more than rooting for the characters. That dynamic felt entirely unnecessary, and it gave me "the ick." 

The pacing was a struggle for me, and the story felt slow throughout. It just couldn't hold my attention as I'd hoped. 

On the bright side, the inclusion of recipes was a lovely touch. I enjoyed that part immensely and may try a recipe or two. 

What left me truly perplexed was the mix of witchcraft and religious elements. It was a bit challenging to grasp the whole premise when they were going to church, quoting Bible verses, and discussing God. It left me a tad confused. 

I read this for a bookclub that I am a part of and if it wasn’t for that I most likely would not have finished. All in all, "The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic" had its moments, but it didn't quite hit the mark for me.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings