this was super cute, it was fun to revisit effy and her witchy fam in brooklyn. this time she contends with more growing pains, like a new friend enterthis was super cute, it was fun to revisit effy and her witchy fam in brooklyn. this time she contends with more growing pains, like a new friend entering her social circle and taking time away from her bestie.
there was a fun little magic mystery happening as well, i felt like we saw even more magical whimsy implemented into their lifestyle and surroundings.
this was very cute and i was quite intrigued by the world; a magical collision occurred combining earth with four other fantasy worlds. trating: 3.75★
this was very cute and i was quite intrigued by the world; a magical collision occurred combining earth with four other fantasy worlds. there is also a return to indigenous names for lands.
def on the instalove side but very cute, and i had some good chuckles. i would've liked it to be a bit longer to see more of a proper conclusion w her family and for the main conflict to be solved w more time, but overall it was a cute lighthearted read.
can a big strong orc lady soothe me and my anxiety please ...more
“Hand you the right storybook, and you are capable of anything.”
this was exactly what i hoped for from book 3!
“It’s been a while since I had so much f“Hand you the right storybook, and you are capable of anything.”
this was exactly what i hoped for from book 3!
“It’s been a while since I had so much fun.” “He nearly decapitated you,” I exclaimed. “Yes, but besides that, Em,” he said patiently.
we of course get the same banter and delightful dynamic between the ever practical, pragmatic emily and the flamboyant, waggish wendell as they return to wendell's faerie realm to reclaim his place on the throne.
however, it's not a smooth transition as a curse is setting in on the lands. emily must use all her scholarly knowledge to find the answer in the numerous and effervescent fables and tales of faerie to help wendell find a cure and restore balance to the kingdom.
the idea that stories are what hold the true shape of the fae realm, define it, makes me reflect on how stories are how we define our own humanity as people.
“For all you have read about and studied the Folk, you have never truly lived with them, dear. They are like—like nature. Can you understand the feeling of a winter night, or a spring wind, if you have only read about it?”
as usual, heather fawcett writes from emily's POV that immediately takes me back into her mind. in fact, i'd read the first two books with audio and i couldn't help but read book three with Ell Potter's voice in my head. she so perfectly encapsulates emily for me and does a great irish accent for wendell, so i highly recommend reading (or rereading) with the audiobooks!
while there's cozy light academia vibe to this series, fawcett never shies away from staying loyal to old school fae lore - that is to say, every now and then a faerie does or says something abruptly brutal that reminds me even the friendliest of them are not to be fully trusted. you must always stay on your feet and ten steps ahead with the tricky fae.
“Most of them have fled,” “Or they’ve been killed,” Lord Taran said. “Oops.”
something that i found especially pleasant in this installment was the romance felt a touch dialed up. not too much as we know emily is not the most emotionally driven of characters, but it was quite heartfelt at times and called for considering the circumstances. it was in a subtle fashion, but nonetheless enjoyable.
“Don’t tarry here too long,” he murmured against my lips. “I shall miss you too much, and come to regret this.”
A world that I wanted, even after all I had seen, and amidst such a thicket of danger. I wanted it very much. And I especially wanted to share it with Wendell.
“I have learned there is one thing a person never tires of, no matter how long they live. And that is being in love. All else is ash and ember.”
i thought this was a final book of the series, and while it ends wrapped up, there is definitely room for more - i'm certainly hoping there is!
just in case you wanted to know dog or cat-wise: don't worry, nothing happens to them :)
this was a cozy but heartfelt holiday romance with fake dating, hanukkah traditions, and all the delicious jewiwow, this far exceeded my expectations.
this was a cozy but heartfelt holiday romance with fake dating, hanukkah traditions, and all the delicious jewish food descriptions.
i thought the romance was very sweet w good buildup. seth was so patient and understanding with abby and a generally sweet, adorable guy. he was realistic though with his own flaws. he's probably one of my favorite contemporary romance mmc's yet.
it was v satisfying to watch abby grow and confront some of her emotional baggage while reconnecting with her jewish identity. she learns to open up and be vulnerable about her emotionally abusive parents and her feelings with seth, and she also pushed him to set his boundaries.
also, i always love a nyc set-story and the holidays are one of the best times for the city. this definitely captured the fun of celebrating in the city with its famous landmarks, events, and even highly specific bars and pop-ups.
i would absolutely love to go to a hanukkah festival sometime irl!...more
Surely, if I can defeat the Irish King of the Dead, the Jewish Lord of Demons, and the most powerful Raven to ever live, I can learn to drating: 4.25★
Surely, if I can defeat the Irish King of the Dead, the Jewish Lord of Demons, and the most powerful Raven to ever live, I can learn to drive a car. Probably.
this was such a fun adventurous addition to the series. anna dives even more into her jewish heritage, grappling with the confusion and insecurity in her identity as someone who spent most of her life disconnected from it. colin continues to figure out who he is and where the lines of morality are in right vs. wrong.
on top of meeting more of anna's family, there is of course more fun animal companions, magical cups of tea, delicious food descriptions, and an exciting mystery.
i enjoyed exploring beyond ravenfall, but i'm excited to get back to it with the final book next year!
Kelpies are seahorses, but not like seahorses. More like one part horse, one part sea. Or lake. Or puddle. Puddle horses sound cute....more
what i liked: all the kitchen magic was sooo creative and fun, major cozy vibes for sure. i ala very witchy yet spicy urban fantasy romance
rating: 3.5
what i liked: all the kitchen magic was sooo creative and fun, major cozy vibes for sure. i also really liked how dina's moroccan background and magic was present in spellwork. her relationship w her mom was sweet too, esp w her struggle with whether to come out or not (yay bi rep!). even her friends and her mom sharing magical moments was super cute.
what didn't work for me: the romance was super instalusty, which i wasn't expecting. they would go 0 to 100 in their heads about wanting to bang lol sometimes it was a bit much for me. also if my friends roomed me with a random guy i never met for a weekend i would not be chill about it lol. i would've liked more build up in that respect and a little more exploration with scott; it was cool to hear about his work as a museum curator, but he felt a bit two dimensional when it came to the relationship dynamics with dina.
overall a sweet lighthearted romantasy with lots of magic.
rating: 3.75★ a cozy mix of gilmore girls, halloweentown, and charmed.
i thought the mystery was fun and i enjoyed the “It’s hard out here for a witch.”
rating: 3.75★ a cozy mix of gilmore girls, halloweentown, and charmed.
i thought the mystery was fun and i enjoyed the sister dynamics. i can see why ppl got annoyed w the fmc being really guilt-ridden and self sabotaging, but i didn't think it was anything awful. the romance took me a min to get invested and it's fairly simple, but a romantic second chance friends to lovers.
it was kind of exactly the vibe i wanted and gave major stars hollow vibes. i couldn't help but read it in that amy sherman-palladino tone w its quick banter and endless references but with the added creativity of fantastical elements. are there silly pop culture references and puns? yes but that's part of the gg charm.
quick fluffy urban fantasy read, with an added bonus of a diverse small town including a trans side character.
well this was just a cozy little delight! a witchy cottagecore sapphic novella that's perfect for fall when you need something more on the light and fwell this was just a cozy little delight! a witchy cottagecore sapphic novella that's perfect for fall when you need something more on the light and fluffy side between spooky reads.
i thought the rue and amaya were a super cute pairing, very opposites attract. all the little details made this feel extra cozy. plus it's in a regency-esque setting which has very much been the vibe for me, so i'll prob be checking out more of this author's books....more
“You’re…you’re…” “Frightening?” “You’re so…” “Terrifying?” “Fluffy.” He halts. “What?”
this was such a fun imaginative retelling of snow white with a ne“You’re…you’re…” “Frightening?” “You’re so…” “Terrifying?” “Fluffy.” He halts. “What?”
this was such a fun imaginative retelling of snow white with a new twist - snow white is the magic mirror.
Not all people enjoy seeing their most cherished attributes in another person.
It’s the downside to being a mirror. Once I make an impression on a person, I’m stuck with it. Every time I meet that person’s eyes, the same impression snaps into place.
a thrilling murder mystery plot, a fugitive princess w a bounty on her head, a bear shifter huntsman, two souls reckoning with their hardships, grief, addiction - this one really covers some ground! i found it kept a good pace up because of this.
i wasn't sure in the beginning, but i adored the romance between the two by the end.
“Astrid, you’re allowed to be strange. You’re allowed to be a mess. You can be all these things that are part of you. It won’t stop me from loving everything about you.”
________________________
.❀。preread ❀°。
my tessonja odette comfort read obsession continues...more
“This is the gayest thing we’ve ever done, by the way,” she said. “Summoning me from the afterlife to have one more long talk about our feelings.”
rati“This is the gayest thing we’ve ever done, by the way,” she said. “Summoning me from the afterlife to have one more long talk about our feelings.”
rating: 4.25★
halloweentown + stars hollow vibes with sapphic romance and a murder mystery!
i was just a touch unsure about the grief aspect but it's relatively light/minor and still has all the feel good vibes. the romance was done well for a shorter book and i felt like the pacing was solid.
lots of cute cozy details and moments that made me chuckle. how do i move here???
looking forward to the next book!
Was she queer, or was she just magical? Although a lot of times, it felt like the same thing....more
the first half was enjoyable, but the second fell apart for me.
loved the summer camp setting, i was feeling nostalgic and wanting some more summer reathe first half was enjoyable, but the second fell apart for me.
loved the summer camp setting, i was feeling nostalgic and wanting some more summer reads under my belt before fall really kicked in.
however, as far as the romance, i was unsatisfied. the banter was good in the first half, but mmc was her summer camp bf who unceremoniously dumped her (via his FRIEND) after she told him she loved him. then comes back around 11 years later and is like oh hey we're both single, remember our pact?
like no! where is the groveling??? like come in and sweep her off her feet damn. that's downright traumatizing and he was being frustrated w her keeping some distance like ??? prove yourself then!
this is why i don't like second chance trope ...more