I am a huge fan of Adrienne Young’s novels. I love her writing style and she always manages to create incredible characters and fantastic worlds, but Spells for Forgetting is completely different from her previous novels. For starters, this is more of an adult novel instead of a young adult and it is contemporary. It’s a mystery story with a pinch of magic and folklore.

Spells for Forgetting is set on the island of Saoirse, in the state of Washington, where people take care of each other and secrets can turn deadly. Atmospheric and misty, the island is itself one of the protagonists of the story, always surrounded by an aura of mystery and magic. The other protagonists are Emery Blackwood and August Salt. Theirs isn’t a simple teenage first love, it’s the kind of love that lasts forever and that could reignite even after fourteen years apart.

When they were eighteen, Emery and August had a plan: leave Saoirse together. But then there was the fire and Emery’s best friend was found dead, murdered. August was suspected, even though his guilt was never proven. And then he and his mother left, without saying goodbye to anyone, leaving Emery heart-broken.

Fourteen years later, August returns to Saoirse to bury his mother and to cut his ties to the island once and for all. Emery still lives there, running her mother’s teashop. They haven’t seen each other in fourteen years, but they finally have the chance to deal with the feelings they both still have for each other, their history, and Lily’s death. However, the close-knitted community of Saoirse is not at all happy to see August back, especially as his presence risks bringing to light secrets and truths best left buried.

I loved Spells for Forgetting. It is a dark, haunting, intense story about secrets, lies, jealousies, betrayals, magic, and tradition and I never wanted it to end, even though I wanted to know the truth: who killed Lily? What is August hiding? What is Emery hiding? What is everyone on the island hiding? I couldn’t put it down until I found out!!!

Thank you Netgalley for the eArc of this book and I'm leaving the review voluntarily in my own words.

I would usually just not leave a review in cases like this so hopefully I won't be too harsh.

The premise of the book was interesting enough to request it but since the beginning the book felt flat. I gave the benefit of the doubt, thinking that at some point something will happen, but there were chapters where literally nothing happened and made me question the need of writing such a long book (I'm not saying it's a long book but for the purposes of the plot it could have been shorter). The thriller element, didn't see it anywhere like yeah I'm all for world building but going over and over about the fact that Lily died and almost everyone blames August was just that you know, nothing that adds to the plot. And God forbid we got some snippets from the past in August's POV, I mean that could have helped a bit. The mystery part was played way too much, unnecessarily.
Oh and don't even get me started on the fact that Emery describes her relationship as a thing. Like ma'am no one is forcing you, dumb him and mind your own business.

Spells for forgetting by Adrienne Young✨

About the book:
”Emery Blackwood's life was forever changed on the eve of her high school graduation, when the love of her life, August Salt, was accused of murdering her best friend, Lily. She'd once dreamt of running away with August, eager to escape the misty, remote shores of Saoirse Island and chase new dreams together. Now, she is doing what her teenage self swore she never would: living a quiet existence among this tight-knit community steeped in folklore and tradition, ruled by the seasons and ancient superstitions.

But when August returns after fourteen years to bury his mother's ashes, Emery must confront her first love and the reason he left so abruptly. But the town wants August gone again. And as the island begins to show signs of strange happenings, the emergence of deep betrayals and hidden promises threatens to reveal the truth behind Lily's death once and for all.”

My thoughts✨
This book grabbed me from the start and did not let go until the last page, I was intrigued by the mystery, charmed by the setting and fell in love with the characters.

I love atmospheric stories like this and the blending of mystery with a little bit of romance and magic 🤩

If you like Adrienne Youngs earlier books I highly recommend. A must for the fall!

I wasn’t sure how to classify this book, it covers so many genres, it had so many aspects to it, a murder mystery, romance and magical realism? Paranormal aspects? But what I can say is that this was a fantastically wrought story about small places and the big secrets they can contain, Saiorse Island was mysterious and menacing, with a varied cast of townfolk. 
The whole story had a sense of foreboding throughout and with dual timelines, the intensity of that builds as we get to piece together along with August and Emery what really happened all those years ago. I liked the mystery element of it a lot, the build up was really well thought out and of course I had theories and of course I was wrong! I absolutely love it when I can’t guess, keeps me wondering and invested all the way through. I also love a good second chance romance it always leads to a richer story, due to all the history and complicated emotions. Hard won love is always so satisfying. There were so many layers to this story that I couldn’t wait for the two timeline to merge so that I could get all the answers I was waiting for. And I absolutely loved, loved the authors writing style, it effortlessly drew me in and kept me reading well into the night. If you are looking for an atmospheric read this cosy season, then you need to add this to your TBR, I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

Thank you @quercusbooks @netgalley

Spells for Forgetting is a mysterious, unpredictable, and unique story. I don't know how to label it but there is magic, romance, suspense, and mystery. I was hooked on the story right away and was fully invested in the characters and the plot. The main characters are August and Emery. The story starts with August returning to Saoirse Island after leaving fourteen years ago, when he was accused of murdering Emery's best friend Lily.

It is obvious that the two still have feelings for each other and that there is unfinished business. August isn't welcome on the island and the locals make sure that he knows this. I really enjoyed the unpredictability of the story, and the characters were very likable. I also liked Adrienne Young's writing style and look forward to reading more of her books. I hope she'll continue to write more books similar to Spells for Forgetting.

Spells for Forgetting is a fully immersive read! It begins subtle and quiet with a slower pace that rapidly increases in intensity as the story begins to unfold.

The characters are welcoming and flawed, which makes them completely relatable. With this ever present auxiliary character as Saiorse Island itself, constantly making its presence felt with its murmuring, whispering and calling to its residents.

The magic in this story unfolds slowing, creeping up on you and leaving you with a tingling down your spine which takes up residence at the back of you mind for hours after reading.

Young weaves a tale of witchcraft and island superstition that had me gripped from the first page to the last. This book was so atmospheric in its descriptions of the island, nature and magic.

Young has created a fantastic cast of characters and I loved reading from so many of their perspectives. This book has it all - murder and intrigue, small-town suspicion, friendship, love and betrayal, and of course, magic. I enjoyed the slow-burn of this book, with tension mounting and the story builds and builds.

This is the perfect read for autumn, sitting wrapped in a cozy blanket with candles burning as the nights start to get darker and cooler.

From the blurb, this book was exactly what I was looking for; I adore small town settings and how a big event can rock a community. However, Spells for Forgetting is a difficult book to review because I’m undecided how I feel about it. I was enthralled and kept turning the page. Yet, the story didn’t really get going until the final quarter, and many of the intriguing moments were told to the reader, but with the multiple POVs could have been more impactful shown in the past timeline.

Whether I liked the characters or not (for the most part, I’m not sure I did), I was invested in them and in this small town community. However, I wanted to know more about the characters outside of being a connection to Emery and August. The chemistry between Emery and August felt natural and genuine, and I was intrigued to see how their second chance romance would develop among all the obstacles in their way.

I enjoyed the look at this desperate need to cling to the past, of what you believe you think is yours and should be yours, and what people are willing to do to get or keep it. One of my favourite things about this book was the descriptions: this island felt lived in and visceral that I could feel it and the atmosphere of the island created a vibe that drew me in.

Although this book did a great job at keeping me turning the page, there were a few things that resulted in this rating. The lack of variation and distinction in character tone and language meant that POV characters blended into one another. The ending felt rushed and unsatisfying in its conclusion: there were more secrets kept and no real repercussions for what happened. Also, Emery finds out something huge and concerning that should re-evaluate how she saw her friendship with her best friend but it didn’t feel as if there was much space to allow her to deconstruct and process it. The magic also seemed to only be used when relevant and I would have enjoyed it more if it was consistent in order to have it feel more grounded on this island.

Spells for Forgetting is a quick, atmospheric mystery read with intriguing small town community conflict, perfect for autumn.

Exquisitely magical, this is the only way I can describe this book. Sure, I thought I’d get more action, however, the way it was written and the events made me change my mind. Both style and pace are on point, getting you in the right mood for such a read, a book you leaf through with your nose buried in its pages, a warm cup of tea and a lit candle next to you.
With wonderful words, Adrienne Young drags the reader to Saoirse - which I did believe was an island in Ireland or Scotland, I admit that - much like the island calls all those who leave back. Like August.
Neither of the main characters is particularly complex, though both fight with inner demons, secrets and truths they don’t want to acknowledge, all tied to their past. Since it is a second chance romance - one I didn’t struggle with, if anything I felt for them and my heart twisted and broke with theirs - one could say there’s a lot of miscommunication: not quite. Sort of. It is way more complicated than that, more than hearing something about someone or timing not being right. And it’s all tied to the past, to the island itself.
I like Emery and August a lot; their dynamic, as well as their personalities, conquered me in a way I didn’t think possible in a story like this one, where they literally worked against everything and everyone to uncover the truth behind the tragic accident that made their lives utter misery. Both bear invisible, stil-healing wounds, some they gave one another, others given by others and more given by themselves, and I just loved the way they mended them as they found their way back together.
This isn’t your normal second chance romance, even if all the elements are there: the mutual pining, the undeniable attraction, a bond that’s never been broken. I love how Adrienne mixed all these ingredients together and spun this dark fairytale that’s perhaps as much as realistic as it is magical.
There’s someone I honestly wanted to see more of, and that’s Dutch: I felt for him, despite - or maybe because of - the role he plays in the story. What can I say, I’ve got a thing for hopeless causes, sometimes.
There’s an unsolved crime, lies and secrets, deceit and betrayal, bindings and curses, all things I love to read about. Yes, the story slowed down a bit at times, but again, that’s what makes it a perfect autumn read, with, that dark twist I could sort of see coming although not completely, making my jaw drop more than a few times.

Adrienne young has a way of sucking you in to the story and making you invest in the characters after only a few chapters.
I absolutely loved Spells for Forgetting. I can see why people have trouble putting this book into a category as it is like nothing I have read before. It’s a pinch of wistfulness mixed with a mystery, some longing and a bit of magic thrown in. August returns to where he grew up, Saoirse Island, to bury his mother. No one wants him on the island and to be honest, he doesn’t want to be there either. He wants to pack up his old house, get his affairs in order and leave, but there is a lot more going on here. It’s when he sees Emery for the first time since being back that old feelings resurface and he feels the pull back to the girl he left behind on the island. Slowly the pieces of the mystery fall into place over the course of the book. I loved August and Emery, their pull to each other is full of longing and has a lot of mystery around it. Together they work out why the people on the island hate August so much and what really went on years ago that forced him off the island in the first place.

4.5 stars!

This is my first time reading a book by Adrienne Young and I was pleasantly surprised, Spells for Forgetting managed to be everything I was looking for in a perfect fall read!

Saoirse Island is different from the mainland. People there follow the old ways and hate having to rely on tourists who come to visit the Salt Orchard to keep their town afloat.
However, the island hides secrets kept hidden for more than a decade, and when August Salt returns to Saoirse to bury his mother, he stirs up memories and mysteries that should have remained buried.

Not much can be deduced from the plot but I can assure you that it is a truly engaging story, full of mystery, autumn vibes, secrets and also a really nice romance.

What did I love about this book?
The mystery: it's engaging and leaves you glued to the pages.
The main characters: Emery and August are super cute and very realistic
The Romance: second chance Romance / Small town romance really cute and sweet
The vibes: Spells for forgetting is a book that is bursting with autumn vibes everywhere!
Multi-POV + 2 time lines
The fantasy component (Spells and curses): it is very light and well inserted in the story

The only thing that didn't give me 5 full stars was the resolution of the mystery ... but I must admit that I didn't expect it!

Highly recommended if you are looking for a perfect read for the autumn, with a very nice mystery, a light Romance and a pinch of fantasy.

Thanks to NetGalley & Quercus for providing me with this e-ARC!

The story of Saoirse Island and the secrets it holds is a perfect autumn/winter read. The story centers around the mystery of one notorious night in the island history; where two things happen, the death of a teenage girl, Lily and the orchard fire. It follows the effects that both of these disasters have on the islanders, in particular Emery, who was Lily's best friend and what it cost her to remain after her boyfriend was widely believed to be responsible. Many years after the events of that night, August returns to the island and the island wants a reckoning.
Spells for Forgetting perfectly evokes that stifling small town, closely watched feeling. it captures just how oppressive it can be to grow up under the eyes of many, particularly when those eyes are close knit. It also highlights what people will turn a blind eye too, even when something is perfectly obvious. I loved the touches of magical realism and folk ritualism that are interwoven throughout the story. Flashing forward between the past and the present, and multiple character viewpoints we get a sense of all sides of the events of that night and just how far some people will go for love.
Overall, a very solid read that is perfect for this time of year. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The only thing that took from it for me a little bit was the very end of the book. I felt that was a touch too dramatic and took away a little from the strength of the story, however it is still a very solid read. Definitely one for anyone who loves magical realism and small-town vibes.

This is a slow burn, magical realism kind of book.

It would be perfect on a rainy afternoon in October, unfortunately I read it during the summer and was a bit bored!

I will try to read it again in the right season.

I am a big fan of Adrienne Young's writing and when I heard she was releasing an adult book it went straight to the top of my anticipated releases list for 2022. I was not disappointed by this book, and it proved to me once again that Adrienne Young is the master of atmospheric writing.

To hear my full thoughts, check out my review at https://youtu.be/IItRbjr9Zgw

When I first heard about the synopsis and setting, a fictional island off the coast of Seattle following August Salt returning home after being run out of town 14 yrs prior for his suspected role in the death of a teenage girl and being reunited with his teenage love Emery - I won't hesitate to say I had a very specific vibe and image in mind for what this book was going to deliver. And she 100% nailed that. If you want to be transported to this misty, slightly witchy and folklory (it's a word, trust me) island and experience the heartache, tension, and gut-wrenching angst of this homecoming, then you need to read this book. There is something to the quality of Adrienne Youngs writing that so evokes the feeling of the story and the imagery of what is taking place; it is truly an immersive feeling and I was immediately captivated and drawn into the story.

The highlights for me in this book were definitely the atmosphere and the emotionality of the book. You feel everything right along with Emery and August through the story as August's return to Saorse Island rocks the small community and Emery's quiet, if unfulfilling, life there. The small town response to August's return had the perfect, small town, dark and ominous feeling; and we got little trickles and tidbits of people's perspectives to keep you intrigued about what exactly was happening on this island and what went down all those years ago. AY's writing of emotion always sweeps me in, and that was no different in this book. As certain secrets are revealed to Emery or as we relive the feeling of being abandoned by August 14 yrs ago, I felt so intensely all the feelings she had right there with her. The relationship between August and Emery was also superbly written, a comingled history of never really not being together and a sure thing, until he left. The flashbacks of seeing it as it was and their responses to seeing each other for the first time again left the undeniable feeling that these two people aren't whole without the other.

Some elements that I don't think worked quite as well were the characterization of our main characters. I don't have a good sense of who these people are outside of the relationship - and perhaps that is intentional to say, they really aren't anyone without the other. Unfortunately, it made them feel a little bit less complete as characters themselves. There were a few intriguing side characters with additional perspectives along the way and the complicated relationships they had to Emery in particular seemed a big focus in the first half of the book, but seemed to be forgotten in the fallout at the ending. The ending itself I thought was maybe a touch quick, and I would've preferred to stew in the fallout a little bit more, but that's a personal preference. And finally, I think there were elements to the mystery that felt a little on-the-nose or a little bit familiar, and I think mystery readers will notice this most strongly.

Overall I absolutely loved the experience of reading this book and I'll definitely be picking it up in the future to reread when I'm in the mood for this particular dark, eerie, fall vibe.

In Spells for Forgetting we meet August, one time native to Saorise and heir to the islands apple orchard fortune. He left many years ago after he was accused (but cleared) of the murder of a teenage girl, leaving his love Emery to deal with the aftermath. Honoring his mothers wishes, he returns to lay her to rest, but what was supposed to be a visit to tie up loose ends, opens old wounds and the past is dredged up all over again.

The writing in this book is beautiful. I adored the ambience Adrienne has created on this island. It's beautifully dreary and I adored every page. This book had be guessing until the end and I was not disappointed with the conclusion. A gorgeous read, perfect for Autumn.

Thank you to Quercus and Netgalley for the chance to read Spells for Forgetting.

An utterly addictive read.

The pacing was fabulous, the characters were entertaining, slightly mysterious and relatable and the plot was impeccable, I could not have guessed some of these twists.

I binged this book in a few hours. I could NOT put it down. I had to know how it ended (and I was happily surprised by the ending too)!

The dark, mysterious and intense energy this book had was perfect, and the romance was beautiful (if you tell me you’re not obsessed with August, you’re lying.)

Definitely an enjoyable read, perfect for the upcoming spooky season 👀

I am a huge fan of Adrianne Young and so when she announced an adult book, I was beyond excited!

The book was amazing. I loved the eerie atmospheric feeling, the characters and how she mixed a mystery - thriller with magic and witches!

The writing was once again excellent! Adrienne Young is a great writer, with beautiful ideas and she has way to make you feel like you are in the book with the characters, watching and feeling everything with them.

The only reason I didn't give 5 stars to the book is that I wanted the magic element to have been a bit stronger and maybe the book a little longer!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review!

When I picked up this book, I did not expect it to be a mystery with a dash of magical realism. Like most books I read, I went on with this blind, and it was a pleasant surprise.

The book is told on multiple POVs going back and forth between the past and present, and slowly uncovering lies that people have kept all these years. The secrets were unravelled beautifully. It was enchanting, captivating — magic subtly lingering.
I love that it didn't focus much on the romance, but it was there that made readers envy of the kind of connection that Emery and August have.

This is the first novel I read from Adrienne Young, and would definitely not going to be the last.

An atmospheric and gripping mix of thriller and fantasy that I thoroughly enjoyed. I read other books by this author but this is different because it's adult oriented and less fantasy.
Adrienne Young can write and the plot is well developed and twisty enough to keep my attention alive.
Good world building and character development. I would have preferred some more details and world building.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Many thanks to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for my copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I requested Spells for Forgetting for review on NetGalley, I did so having already secured a special edition of the book that I've paid for. I just simply couldn't wait for that edition to arrive before reading it due to it being so hyped up, so I am ever so grateful to have been granted this title!

Spells for Forgetting (SfF) tells the tale of Emery and August, fated teenaged lovers who are ripped apart following the death of their friend Lily for which August is blamed, though his involvement is never proven. 14 years after he and his mother escape the judgement of the island of Saoirse, he returns for one reason: to sell his mother's house, and never return. But the island holds a unique magic, and those who leave her are always called back to her one way or another.

To give some context, I do not like romance in fiction. Or, rather, I don't like how the majority of it is portrayed. I find most of it shallow, skin-deep, with characters seemingly going after each others' looks and little else.
But August and Emery... oh boy. Oh my god. They were soulmates, and I *believed* it. They orbit each other and can't really explain why. They are each other's home, their warmth, their safe haven where they just ARE. The way Young writes them is so tender and loving that I was actively rooting for them the entire book, and trust me when I say this is unusual for me. Usually I'm passive and don't care. This time I was fully invested and tearing my hair out as they struggled with their pasts and faced their pain.

The supporting characters were well written as well, with Albertine (Emery's grandmother) being my favourite. The memory of Lily took an unexpected turn, and the plot went in a direction that I hadn't foreseen (for which I was pleasantly surprised). I felt really sorry for Dutch; poor guy deserved better.

The book is fraught with sincere love, delicate feelings, and masterfully handled portrayals of different kinds of grief and devotion. I thoroughly enjoyed this, and I'll be keenly looking out for further books by this lovely author!