A fun read about twin witches. I really enjoyed the world the authors created and look forward to book 2! I really enjoyed the character development and wanted more when i finished the book

As a big fan of the house of night series in secondary school . I was excited to reader another series by the mother and daughter duo. However I think this book was a little younger for me personally. I found the twins unrelatable and bit annoying. I couldn’t really get in to the book which made made me a bit sad because I remembered how much I loved the house of night series.

I read another review that mentioned how they absolute loved the prologue of this book and really expected this to be the story that Spells Trouble would tell. When I picked this up, I couldn’t help but be enthralled with Sarah Goode and her daughter.. personally it gave me Practical Magic vibes and I was dying to read about this badass & strong woman who escaped her judge-y town along with her daughter by one-upping all of them. This was the story I was anxious for and wanting to read but instead.. we get Mercy & Hunter Goode, Sarah’s ancestors who fully emulate the teenager angst.

After losing their mother in a tragic accident the night when they essentially come into their own as witches, Mercy & Hunter are forced to deal with the aftermath of their mother’s killer, save a bunch of trees and STILL deal with high school type messes.. I swear chapter by chapter I got annoyed with either twin and had to remind myself that they were in fact teenagers.

The one redeeming character was Xena, the familiar cat turned guardian whose cat like characteristics in human form & her calling the twins “kittens” had me so in love with this character.

This book does end in a cliffhanger & though I sighed at this fact, it definitely kept me intrigued enough to want to read the next book.

Thanks to Wednesday Books & NetGalley for an early e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

This pulls you in immediately with twin witches! These sisters are the complete opposite of each other but are so loyal. They are surrounded by friends that support them. Then something awful happens. Now the sisters have to figure out what went wrong. The story was so great. I could not stop reading. I need the next book right now! Thank you to Netgalley and Sg Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for this digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun read with unexpected twists and turns. Though it wasn’t my favorite read by the Casts, it definitely showed maturity and growth in their writing and I enjoyed the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin press for allowing me to review this book.
I choose this novel as I had read the House of Night series years ago and really enjoyed them. I love stories involving Witches and the description sound good.

I enjoyed the book. It started off with Sarah Goode and the Salem witch trials in the prologue and fast forward to present day to her descendants Hunter and Mercy Goode. They are just Sixteen and are about to come into their own witchcraft when tragedy strikes. The girls immersed in grief struggle to move onwards and embrace their heritage. They are gatekeepers and must fix the problem occurring within the gates. It's a great story involving sisters and their love for each other despite the differences. If you're into witches and enjoy books that explore sisterly bonds then this a book you should read.

Okay, the premise of this book greatly intrigued me. Recently I've been loving the murder mystery aspect that a lot of YA novels have been incorporating, the "who done it?!" vibe as you read throughout the book. The prologue of the book steeped in the historical Salem witch trials got the story going for me.

As I read on, the characters, while I liked them, I JUST liked them. I didn't fall in love or connect. They almost seemed a bit distant to me, so rather than feeling like I was a part of the story, I felt more like a distant observer. At times the story moved so quickly, too quickly. Emotions and events passing by within the space of a few hours in regards to the timeline of the book. It felt like there was a lack of depth and exploration, which probably would've helped connect the characters more towards the audience.

On another note, some phrases and words were so out of place. Mainly those phrases and words that are commonly used in the U.K. It made the story about sisters from Illinois just a little hard to swallow, and overall a bit jarring to read.

Truly, I loved the idea of this book and just wish there had been more depth and development.

I read all of the House of Night series years ago and loved them. I was so excited to see this new book hit the NetGalley shelves.

But I have large concerns with Spells Trouble. This book is rated for Teens and YA and I think an open door oral sex scene is wildly inappropriate, especially as it is written now with the shame and regret portrayed after. This was not a sex positive scene and not something I would want my young daughter to read. The part of bragging about the sexual conquest after is equally disgusting. I urge the publisher/editor to either rewrite the scene or reclassify the recommended audience.

I felt some of the teen language/colloquialisms were forced. For example, “BRB.”

This novel is set in Illinois. Why are there British curses? Bloody hell… bloody buggering hell… sodding wanker…

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books of St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to review this advanced reader’s eBook. Unfortunately, I give this book a pass.

This opening salvo in the Sisters of Salem saga combine teens relationships and teen angst with supernatural conflict. It stars twin witches Hunter and Mercy Goode.

Their witch mother Abigail has prepared them to fulfill their destiny as Gatekeepers, who protect portals to various underworlds and prevent the creatures who inhabit them from entering our world.

The dedication ceremony goes awry, something terrible comes through a Gate, and Abigail dies in banishing it. Instead of coming together through this extreme crisis, the sisters grow apart, leading to a cliffhanger of an ending that will leave fans anxious for more.

I first want to thank Netgalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to have an E- ARC of this amazing book. I knew from the description that I needed to read it as soon as possible. I plan on buying the exclusive edition from Walmart!

This book was AMAZING. I loved it. Literally everything that I love put into one book. I am a little obsessed with the Salem witch trials and learning more about them. I go to Salem once a year and learn as much as I possibly can about the people who were murdered during the trials. When I saw that this book was a spin on Sarah Good and her actually being a witch and SURVIVING I knew this book was going to be amazing.

I loved the back story that the author created for the readers. It really built the world that the author was creating for our Goode twins, Mercy and Hunter. I do not think the bonds of sisterhood would have been so believable if the author did not explain their past and heritage. I loved the witchcraft that the author added in this book and the different uses of all mythology. I especially loved Hunters powers because I feel like we don’t get a lot of books on cosmic witches.

The story really only covers a few days of the girls lives, but there is SO MUCH that happens in those few days that it really makes a fast pace and interesting story. I loved all the characters and even the ones the author used to really show how they were just teenagers and so naïve for their age. The pulls of different gods and the gateways to all the hells were done perfectly.

I truly can not think of a single thing that I did not love in this book. The ending is set up perfectly for there to be a book 2 and I am so excited to see what the author comes up with for our twins. I was and still am blown away by this book and SO THANKFUL I was able to read it ahead of release.

The Goode witches have always been the gatekeepers of four gates to the underworld. On their sixteenth birthday Hunter and Mercy Goode each choose a God or Goddess to serve. However the ceremony is cut short when a creature breaks the gates and kills their mother, the twins are now on their own to close the gates and protect them. With tension brewing between the sister from the loss and hunters choice of choosing a God instead of a goddess, the task just became a whole lot harder.


I liked the idea behind this book and the story was good but I found the way the dialog was a little too valley girl and not very modern. The witches theme is an interesting theme change from the house of night series I previously read from these authors. But it felt like the rituals written in this story were taken from the house of night rituals. It felt very close with the way the candles are described and how everyone reacted to them.
Other than that I find this a pretty solid story especially for a start of a series. It has diverse characters and the twins have a clear difference in personalities. I think fans of previous books by these two authors will definitely like it. It is aimed for a young adult age range and you can tell by the story.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 stars)

I really enjoyed this witchy read! I think it was a solid beginning to the trilogy as far as the plot/story. I loved learning about the Goode witches and I was completely captured by the Prologue! One thing I felt was lacking was a bit more character development. I think it would have helped to see some more interactions between the twins and their mom in regards to their learning about spells/magic. I'm not sure if we will get more of that in the next books, but the characters felt just a tad flat to me. I love the idea of the trees being gates to other worlds and the symbolism behind each tree. Like I said, the story was great and I can't wait to read what happens next! I'm hoping we get more development in the next book, but I will definitely be picking it up when it comes out!

I really wanted to like this book, but it did not land with me. In the past I have liked books by this author team, so it was a disappointment.

The teenagers in this American town are all using British slang, which seemed weird, and the story was all over the place.

I couldn’t tell the main characters apart, which got confusing, and the references from other cultures felt forced and not organic to the story.

This story had just enough going for it that I read the entire thing, but I won’t be continuing with the series.

Spells Trouble by P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast is the first book in the Sisters of Salem book series. Twin sisters, Hunter and Mercy Goode are witches from a long line of descendants from the town of Goodeville. On their sixteenth birthday, their mother introduces them to what it means to be a Gatekeeper of their community, protectors of five Gates to different underworlds. With the untimely death of their mother, they vow to avenge her death, while trying to protect other neighbors from questionable murders that seem to coincide with the escapee of a mythical monster. The sisters are forced to find the spell to heal the trees, while looking for the monster reeking havoc on their peaceful town and sealing the gates from other creatures. But they have to work together or find themselves separated forever.

The story of teen witches sparked my interest fro the start. The prologue of this book starts with Sarah Goode, ancestor of Hunter and Mercy, and her escape from jail with her daughter before she was publicly hung for her practice of witchcraft centuries before. It was a a great introduction, however, the rest of the story fell a little flat afterwards. There is a combination of high school drama, witchcraft, mythological creatures of the dark underworld and teen sex. I get it, I’m an adult reading a YA book, but the descriptive nature of teen sex didn’t need to be included, and I sort of cringed thinking of young readers being surprised by it. Mercy’s boyfriend Kirk is a jerk, and really wasn’t an important character in the storyline anyway, so he could have been left out. I liked the inclusion of Hunter’s character being part of the LGBTQ+ community, so hopefully I get the next book more of the focus can be on Hunter’s relationship. I enjoyed the spells, and witchcraft, but it was a bit confusing jumping between so much going on.

I’m giving this novel a 2.5 stars. The storyline is good, I liked the premise of the Gatekeepers and even the fact they are orphaned sixteen year olds trying to fulfill their destiny. But there was a lot of unnecessary fluff included. Hopefully book 2 of the series has more of the witchcraft and fantasy creatures and less high school drama.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Wednesday Books for an advanced reader edition of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Please note there are mild spoilers through this review. Stop reading now if you don’t want to know anything other than what is in the book description!

First off… as a practicing witch, I’m drawn to anything and everything witch like, witch adjacent, and downright witchy, especially books involving witches in any way at all. That being said, I either really love fictional witches or I can’t stop pausing while reading because there are random “witchy” words thrown in sporadically that have no bearing on the story at all and are usually used incorrectly, and it drives me bonkers.

Now that that’s out of the way, I can happily report that not only did the writing duo, P.C. & Kristin Cast, firmly cement their place on my autobuy author list for life, they have full-on imprisoned my witchy heart in a prison cell that no spell could break me free from with Spells Trouble.

Not only do we jump right into the action from page one with a prologue set in Salem, Massachusetts during the Witch Trials (with being a witch from New England, I’ve usually got plenty of side eyes for all things witchy only being set in Salem because witches are worldwide people, but I digress), P.C. and Kristin waste no time in setting the stage, or gallows as it were, and entrance readers senses with their descriptions of the harrowing predicament our heroines ancestor, Sarah Goode, is currently in.

Without giving too much away, let me just assure any sort of practitioner of the craft (and by craft I mean witchcraft), that not only do the authors keep fictional magic mystically mysterious, they keep it practical and not in a boring way that might bog down a reader who’s unfamiliar with witches or any of the arcane arts.

They weave little bits of lore, spellwork, and omens throughout the novel in a perfect mix of fantastical and feasible. Add in their trademark quick-witted writing, and their ability to address common misconceptions about witchcraft, such as all who practice the craft worshiping the devil (you do you, fellow human. No judgement here, I’m just including an example I found refreshing in a work of fiction), and the fact that it’s not all complex potions and secret rituals by moonlight (although they have those too!), but giving intentions to everyday items and actions.

Moving on because I could, and will happily, wax poetic about this novel for hours… After one hell of an introduction to the Goode line of witches, we’re introduced to not only a change of setting from Massachusetts, but twin witches—Hunter and Mercy Goode, who are no more alike than oil and water. They also know they’re witches and embrace it fully, which is a refreshing change from what has become the norm in YA witch books where they have to discover they’ve been a witch all along etc.

You’ve got Mercy, who’s a certified badass in my book with her hand embroidered jeans and rebellious witchy attitude. Add in her unapologetically comfortable in her own skin, even as a sixteen-year old, energetic and eclectic vibe, and it’s just a cherry on top. Every teen (and adult) out there who’s afraid to wear certain things or stand up for themselves should take note and follow in Mercy’s footsteps when it comes to speaking up and demanding respect for themselves.

And then we’ve got quiet but intense, secret romance novel writer, Hunter, who think’s she’s the only lesbian in her town (shout out to the authors for always including a diverse cast of characters in their novels). She’s also no less of a badass for her introverted and less in your face way of handling things, despite her lack of confidence in herself in the novel, which I honestly felt made her incredibly relatable as a character because I know I was absolutely full of doubts and questions and insecurities at her age, and still have some of those as an adult.

The novel has themes of being different throughout the novel, be it being straight or gay, a kitchen witch or a celestial witch, having a guy best friend when you’re a girl etc… I will note that this book was definitely written with an audience of teens in mind. Not adults who have the gift of hindsight, but teens who don’t always make rational decisions, whose brains are still developing and thus they make ill-advised and sometimes confusing, even to themselves, decisions.

With that said, so long as you go into the novel expecting it to be YA, which it fully is—even with the steamy scene between Mercy and her boyfriend, and the murders that are depicted as happening through the town—this book is absolutely meant for a YA audience. Knowing this, I was able to set my expectations reasonably for the characters and their development. Also, this is the first book in a trilogy, so regardless of my greedy desires to know everything that’s going to happen like yesterday, because I’m fully invested in the Goode twin’s wellbeing at this point, there were a few loose ends left dangling at the end of the book that are giving me a serious book-hangover right now.

As a writer, I understand having a cliffhanger ending. As a reader, it both makes me want to reread the book to find little clues I might have missed during my first read of the book and throw the book at the wall (no books were harmed in the writing of this review, pinky promise!)

I’m dying to see how the authors continue the story in book two. Will there be more to do with monsters and the different underworlds? Will they accept their destiny fully or will something happen to drive a wedge between them? Will their aunt continue to make me cackle with her antics? Either way, I can’t wait to dive back into the town of Goodeville, IL with the Goode sisters, and their circle of friends once book two comes out!

I am highly against the genre that this is for. I strongly suggest that kids DO NOT READ THIS!!! There is a very sexual erotic scene that involves two characters and it is not PG13. It is very XXX.

This is the first book that I have ever read from P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast. They have also co-written the House of Night series which I don't think you need to have read before this one. I was not confused by anything and I pretty much got the gist of the magic by the information given. I ended up giving this book a 3 out of 5. I enjoyed the historical fiction with the Salem witch trials and the origin of the Goode Family.

We follow two twin sister named Mercy and Hunter. They are celebrating their 16th birthday and they are the present day witches from a long line of Goode witches. The original witch was Sarah Goode and she was jailed and sentenced to execution for being a witch. She escapes and follows ley lines to a rural town in Indiana and makes it a safe space. She also plants 5 foreign trees to guard gates to foreign underworlds. The gates form a pentagram. On the day of the girls 16th birthday, they are committing to their chosen goddess and god. Then while they are setting their intentions, something happens and their mother sacrifices herself to save her daughters.

The rest of the story is them trying to save the trees and figure out what kind of monster came out of one of the trees. I enjoyed the origin story, the inclusion of mythology and the witch and spells. I hated all of the characters except the cat Xena. She was the best and really made me keep swiping through the pages.

This one is for fans of the authors - I don't think it will bring new readers into the world. I was kind of bored by the story - it started out ok, then fizzled after the first 100 pages.

Spells Trouble is the first installment in P.C. and Kristin Cast's Sisters of Salem trilogy. The story takes place in Goodeville, Illinois in Salem County. 16-year-old Twins Hunter and Mercy Goode are witches, direct descendants of Sarah Goode, the founder of the town and first protector of Goodeville who escaped the Salem Witch trials in 1692. On the evening of their 16th birthday, something horribly unexpected happens that fundamentally changes both of the girls’ lives and like falling dominoes, the incident sets so many other terrifying events into motion which forces the into life changing choices.

When deaths start occurring in their town the twin sisters need to use their magic. With a little help from their mother's familiar Xena, who is a cat, it is now time for Hunter and Mercy to learn the ropes of what it means to be the Gatekeepers—the protectors of the Gates to different underworlds, ancient portals between their world and worlds where mythology rules and nightmare is a reality. The twins couldn't be more different. Mercy is irresponsible, spontaneous, impulsive, a troublemaker, and she chose Freya as her Goddess. Hunter is an introvert, emotional, a secret romance novel writer who wears the pendant for her God Tyr, God of the Sky.

She's the first in her family to choose a God over a Goddess and she's considered a cosmic witch. It is fair to say this is a bone of contention that infests the story right until the very end. That is all I am going to say about that. As I said, the twins are now Gatekeepers for 5 gates; Norse, Greek, Egyptian, Japanese and Hindu. Each of these gates go to a specific part of the underworld. The trouble is that every single one of these gates seem to be leaking evil into the world and they need to find a way to stop it. But they also need to find out what escaped from the Underworld, and who the unlucky human is that is basically a sock puppet for an evil entity.

The supporting cast of Xena, Emily Parrott, and Jax Ashley keep the sisters in the moment, and not doing other extraordinary silliness. Jax is really supportive of Hunter and is her best friend. He stands up for her when the bullies call her out for being a lesbian. Emily is Mercy's best friend and they are alike in many ways. They both like to party and have fun. Even when Emily suffers a heartbreaking loss, she stands and delivers with Mercy, Jax, Xena, and Hunter.

The characters read younger than their age and again, that's probably because this wasn't intended for someone my age group. I have hits and misses with this mother and daughter duo. I started reading the authors House of Night series but abandoned it because it's repetitive and the series has gone on for way too long. With the story ending on a cliffhanger, I am not sure if I will continue this series. We shall see.

Hunter and Mercy Goode are twins but also witches. While they celebrate their birthday and ceremony, things start to go awry. They must find a way to fix it. They must learn to be gate keepers, learn to protect. The story has a good plot but it lacks in world building.

Spells Trouble gives me 2007 vibes. It reminds me so much of P.C. and Kristin's HoN writing. I think that's why I can't give it more than 3.5 stars. I liked it but I feel like it was leaning more toward MG end of YA. With that being said, I was surprised that a steamy scene was in it. It kinda surprised me. I wouldn't have minded it, if it wasn't so detailed and 16 yr olds. I think if I was a teen, I'd probably enjoy this a lot more.

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Disclaimer: I received this arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Spells Trouble

Author: P.C. and Kristen Cast

Book Series: Sisters of Salam Book 1

Rating: 2.5/5

Recommended For...: ya readers, fantasy, witches

Genre: YA Fantasy

Publication Date: May 25, 2021

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Pages: 320

Recommended Age: 16+ (Alcohol usage, Sex scene, Language, Violence, Gore)

Synopsis: Hunter and Mercy Goode are twin witches, direct descendants of the founder of their town of Goodeville. As their ancestors have done before them, it is now time for the twins to learn what it means to be Gatekeepers–the protectors of the Gates to different underworlds, ancient portals between their world and realms where mythology rules and nightmares come to life.

When their mother becomes the first victim in a string of murders, the devastated sisters vow to avenge her death. But it will take more than magic to rein in the ancient mythological monsters who’ve infected their peaceful town.

Now Hunter and Mercy must come together and accept their destiny or risk being separated for good.

Review: For the most part this was an ok book. It did well with the world building and that prologue was absolutely amazing. I also felt like the plot, as far as the prologue and what's advertised on the back, was a good promise.

However, this book is a mess. The book definitely doesn't know where it's going and the plot is all over the place. If I had a book with just Sarah Goode I'd be in love because the prologue was amazing. The rest of it? Mediocre at best. The world building was non-existent, the characters were strangers, and I felt so confused by some of the random stuff thrown into this book, like a sex scene in the middle for... Laughs? The teen rating? I don't know for sure.

Verdict: It wasn't for me and there's better witch books.