Sunday, February 16, 2025

#BookReview: Best Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi




A kitchen witch with a penchant for baking and a (literally) cursed love life meets someone who's worth breaking a hex for in this sweet and spicy debut romance.

As a skilled kitchen witch, Dina Whitlock knows her way around a pastry recipe. In fact, she runs her very own London café serving magic-infused pastries for her loyal customers. But only a select few friends know about her magical abilities or the hex that has plagued her love life. It’s hard to fall in love when your partner is guaranteed to have a string of bad luck the second they start to have feelings for you. 

Scott Mason is back from traveling the world and is excited to begin his new job as a curator at the British Museum. After leaving London to heal from a brutal breakup two years ago, Scott only now realizes how much he missed out on. Now that his best friend’s wedding is right around the corner, Scott is determined to be the most amazing best man ever, but he doesn’t expect to be bewitched by the maid of honor, who also happens to be the owner of his new favorite café and, more surprisingly, a witch?!

After a weekend in the countryside full of peculiar hedge mazes, palm readings by candlelight, and a midnight Halloween ritual, there’s no denying the chemistry between them. But there’s just one problem: The hex still holds, and Dina knows that Scott is in danger. In the past, she’s always cut her losses, but this time is different. Scott could be the one. Will Dina be able to undo the hex, before it’s too late?

#BookReview: Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake





Two exes find themselves stuck at the same house for Christmas in this holiday romance by Ashley Herring Blake, USA Today bestselling author of Iris Kelly Doesn't Date. 

It's been five years since Charlotte Donovan was ditched at the altar by her ex-fiancée, and she’s doing more than okay. Sure, her single mother never checks in, but she has her strings ensemble, the Rosalind Quartet, and her life in New York is a dream come true. As the holidays draw near, her ensemble mate Sloane persuades Charlotte and the rest of the quartet to spend Christmas with her family in Colorado—it is much cozier and quieter than Manhattan, and it would guarantee more practice time for the quartet’s upcoming tour. But when Charlotte arrives, she discovers that Sloane’s sister Adele also brought a friend home—and that friend is none other than her ex, Brighton. All Brighton Fairbrook wanted was to have the holliest, jolliest Christmas—and try to forget that her band kicked her out. But instead, she’s stuck pretending like she and her ex are strangers—which proves to be difficult when Sloane and Adele’s mom signs them all up for a series of Christmas dating events. Charlotte and Brighton are soon entrenched in horseback riding and cookie decorating, but Charlotte still won’t talk to her. Brighton can hardly blame her after what she did. After a few days, however, things start to slip through. Memories. Music. The way they used to play together—Brighton on guitar, Charlotte on her violin—and it all feels painfully familiar. But it’s all in the past and nothing can melt the ice in their hearts...right?

#BookReview: Impractical Magic by Emily Grimoire




The perfect autumn read where Gilmore Girls meets Charmed in a cosy second-chance romance with a sprinkle of magic. Perfect for readers of Pumpkin Spice Café, Erin Sterling and Lana Harper.

In Oak Haven, this witch is about to brew up more trouble than she bargained for…

When Scarlett Melrose receives a call from her estranged sisters, she immediately knows something is wrong. Their mother’s inn has been cursed, and they need her help to save it.

As the conflicted middle-child, returning home is giving Scarlett the heebie jeebies. And to make matters worse, she’s just come face-to-face with charming old flame and handyman, Nate.

When her spell to break the curse goes horribly wrong, all Scarlett wants to do is flee back to the peace and quiet of her San Francisco flat. But she can’t keep running away forever, and she’ll need all the help she can to solve this magical mess.

With time slipping away, Scarlett must learn that sometimes the greatest spells really do come with the greatest responsibility – especially when love is involved…


#BookReview: Undead Gods by Caitlyn Battelle



WELCOME TO KAVA, WHERE THE UNDEAD GODS NEITHER HEAR NOR CARE… 

Elysia Parker lives each day in fear it will be her last.

The magic the gods carelessly gifted mortals disappeared years ago, and Elysia Parker is all too familiar with what happens when someone is found to be harboring magic in her land. Death. 

Cursed but hiding in plain sight within Kava’s royal court, Elysia has her eyes on the crown and its prince. But an unexpected change in her magic throws her carefully laid plans into chaos. In love with the man who could order her death, she searches for an answer to her curse before it’s too late.

From underground tunnels to pleasure houses and rebels who demand payment of the highest kind, Elysia will journey to the death realm and back to find her answers.

But is she willing to face the harsh demands of the truth? 

Inspired by Hades and Persephone, Undead Gods is a dark, moody fantasy filled with magic, danger, and a love that may be the heroine's downfall. Follow Elysia Parker into the soot drenched world of Kava as she navigates secrets, betrayal, and ultimately, finding herself amidst a world of lies.



#BookReview: One Hollow Love by MK Ahearn



Soleil, a spirited human, dreams of breaking free from the confines of her ordinary life and the expectations of her father. Yearning for both love and freedom, she stumbles upon a world she'd thought to be a story. Jax, a mysterious half-demon, harbors secrets and alluring magic from this world.

Their worlds collide on a fateful Halloween night, sparking an undeniable connection that neither can ignore. After one whirlwind night Jax is cast back into his world, promising to meet Soleil a year later. As Soleil and Jax navigate the treacherous paths between their realms, their bond deepens, challenging the boundaries of love and destiny.