A review by flovvergirl
Back in a Spell by Lana Harper

emotional lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I didn’t really care about the romance in this book. Even though the first time they met, Nina and Morty didn’t like each other, after the bond and the second date it felt very insta-love. I think it was a missed opportunity for a slow, begrudging recognition of each others humanity outside of family names and a realization that their biases were clouding their judgment about someone they were falling for. But instead, they just suddenly liked each other. I also felt that the resolution to the conflict with Nina’s power was incredibly rushed. If anything, this book needed more time to explore the characters and the plot. I don’t mind Morty using he/him primarily, but it was very weird that the author/Nina referred  to him as a man more than once. That wasn’t very cool.
 

I liked the magic that was described and appreciated that the author clearly had world building around Thistle Grove. More than anything this book made me want to read her first book because it made me interested in the the tournament. I also like how the characters communicated with one another. I hate when conflicts rely solely on miscommunication and that wasn’t the case here at all. 

Overall, this book was a fast, enjoyable read, but I wouldn’t personally recommend it for the romance, and be aware of possibly triggering misgendering. 
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