3.5 stars rounded up
This book was so well written because I felt Sadie's sadness, heartbreak and depression. The grief hit me right in the heart. It was a tad hard to read and took me days to want to finish it. I wanted to love it because of the magic but it made me so sad.

The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall was a fun, cozy and entertaining read. People keep describing it as Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls and I do feel like that does fit what the story feels like. Overall, it was a fun read and I do think people who are a fan of the 'cozy' genre will enjoy it quite a bit.

There were some cute and refreshing qualities to it, I think. It had a 'practical magic' feel - which is a comfort movie of mine. Each time Sadie went over her grandmother's rules, I found myself thinking of the movie's VoiceOver. It felt cozy and not entirely high stakes, which is also kind of odd because there are relatively high stakes involved. There were moments when the dialogue felt weird and I kept feeling as if no one would ever actually talk to one another that way. Deep comments and conversations came out of nearly nowhere. Sadie's actions didn't really seem to line up with what's said about her. I don't like the "I'm with someone I think I can learn to love because of xyz but I've always loved you and you know you'll always be the love of my life even though the way I've treated you and continue to treat you is unfair to both you and the other woman. Except in this instance, you're kind of the other woman." Did not like or vibe with the love interest at all. I do like that mental illness is brought up and kind of talked about. There's a character with Bipolar Disorder but it isn't made to be the only thing she's known for. It was a quick read and I didn't hate, but I also just didn't like it.

When they said this book is for fans of Gilmore Girls & Practical Magic, I definitely feel like that checks out to an extent. This book was a cozy fall read filled with magic, cozy recipes and drama. I think going into this book, I expected it to be a little more lighthearted than it was. I expected the wit and humor of Gilmore girls but I feel like it was lacking in that regard.

Loves:
- I absolutely adored the addition of recipes in this book. It was so fun to see what treat/drink we'd see at the end of the chapter and I look forward to trying a few of them.
-Cozy fall vibes
-small town
-writing style, the author does an incredible job at painting such a vivid picture and drawing you in.

Dislikes:
-The book felt rushed towards the end
-I felt no connection to the characters. There wasn't a single character in this book that I loved. We followed Sadie's POV throughout the book and her inner dialogue was incredibly repetitive at times. I just didn't jive with her.
-The integration of the Church...? Idk that was weird for me.

Content Warnings: There is mention of attempted suicide, cancer and the death of a family member, so please be advised when reading.

Overall, I think this is a great cozy and magical mystery. While this book may not have been my cup of tea, I can see the many reasons why others may love it. If you like a cozy mystery that will make you cry in parts, give it a try.

Thank you so much NetGalley, Breanne Randall and the Publishers at Alcove Press for the incredible opportunity to review the ARC of The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4,5/5 ⭐

I loved this book so much! I feel like it's going to be the next big fall cozy fantasy book that everyone will talk about. The vibes and ambiance are great, and the author did a really good job with descriptions. I also loved the recipes between chapters.

There's a little romance side plot, and I'm a sucker for the second chance trope, so I absolutely enjoyed this. But be warned, the main focus of the story is Sadie's magic and her family relations.

Little spoiler here: until 50% of the book, I thought we might have a second book focused on Seth and Raquel, but then they actually got together in this book. Again, romance is not the main focus here.

I would totally recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and The Ex Hex.

What to expect in this book:

-Family ties
-Curses
-Cozy recipes
-Small town vibes

Thoughts

While there is magic discussed in this story, this was much less of a witchy/fall tale than I had imagined. Sadie and her twin brother, Seth, were raised by their magnanimous and magical grandmother, Gigi. They know that their family is different, people always leave, but they ultimately come back. When Seth leaves one day, Sadie is reminded of all the heartbreaks that she has endured, and if there is one thing that is seems Sadie is cursed with, that is heartbreak. As she struggles to come to terms with her grandmother's failing health and the return of her family, Sadie must figure out how to save her family and herself along the way.

I have been saving this advanced copy for the fall because I wanted to feel all the cozy fall feelings. Despite the yummy sounding recipes involved, it ultimately let me down in that regard. I am not sure if it was intended to be about a family of witches among normal humans who do not possess magic or do not acknowledge magic's presence, but I did not quite understand how the magic fit into the story outside the context of Sadie's family. Also, I wanted more background on Seth's mental health situation.

I did appreciate the references toward therapy and the impact of mental health care. I also enjoyed how the story wrapped up in the end. While grief and loss both through death and heartbreak are described in this book, it is ultimately a story of family and self-discovery. While I enjoyed it, it was ultimately pretty forgettable for me.

Thank you to #NetGally and #AlcovePress for an #ARC of this in exchange for an honest review. This publishes on Tuesday, September 19.

A wonderful fall witchy ready. It really is Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic. The recipes, the cozy fall vibes. It was everything I needed to kick off my fall reads. Highly highly recommend to anyone who loves witches, heartbreak and the magic of food.

The premise of this one had me eager to read. The characters were likable and the storyline was interesting. I struggled a little with this holding my attention. Overall I found it lighthearted and made me want to start baking! Lots of great recipes included.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley! I liked this one a lot I think I read it a bit too early in the season though and it didn’t give me the peak autumnal vibes I was looking for. It gave me Gilmore girls with a magic twist! It was very comforting and cute!

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

3.5 stars

Small town with a side of magic, and romance. An easy read that hooks you in quickly. There is some drama, angst, and a little predictability; a good fall rainy-day escape read. If you like small town, found family, give this book a try.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.

I was so excited when I saw I was approved for this eARC. I was looking forward to jump starting my spooky season with some witchy books and what better than a book that promises Practice Magic and Gilmore Girls vibes? Well, unfortunately my expectations were set too high. This one just wasn’t what I was hoping. The characters felt immature, I couldn’t connect with any of them. The recipes at the end of each chapter were cute though. Might save those for later.
As always, just because this book wasn’t for me doesn’t mean it won’t be for you!

Sadie's familial magical abilities is both a blessing and a curse. With her grandmother's impending death, her estranged brother's return, and ex return to the picture her world crumbles and she is faced with difficult decisions.

The perfectly witchy cozy read for fall.

For fans of Practical Magic.

Nice witchy plot line mixed with crazy mixed up family drama and a second chance love story to sweeten the mix. Seemed a little long - too many over done descriptions but a lot like reading a Hallmark movie!

In The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic, readers are treated to a rich tapestry of emotion, magic, and the intricacies of human relationships. From the onset, it's clear that Sadie Revelare's story is one that intertwines love, loss, and the often overwhelming burden of magical gifts. The reappearance of Sadie's first heartbreak evokes the bittersweet nature of old flames and the passion and pain they often bring with them. Seth, Sadie’s twin, adds an unexpected twist to the narrative, presenting a multifaceted look into family dynamics, especially against the backdrop of impending grief.

This is a solid book. I gave it three stars because some of the plot and writing was kind of iffy, but I enjoyed the story. If you like witchcraft, love, family drama, and baked goods, this is a book for you.

Sadie's family is well known in her town for having magically gifts. Sadie in particular is known for her kitchen witchery. The baked goods she creates are infused with different abilities that the townspeople absolutely love. However, things aren't as perfect as they seem. Everyone in her family has a curse attached them, and hers is a curse of four heartbreaks. As she experiences heartbreak after heartbreak, Sadie realizes that she must choose between the two things she holds most dear: her magic or love.

Like I mentioned above, I enjoyed the story. I always love a strong female protagonist. The reasons I knocked it down a few stars has because I felt like there were gaps in the writing sometimes. There were a few times where I had to go back and reread a section because it seemed like I was missing something. The coolest part about this book though is that at the end of every chapter, there's a recipe. It's usually something Sadie or her grandmother made in that chapter. I loved it. As a baker myself, I thought it was neat to see these recipes and it helped me visualize what they were actually making.

Enchanting story of family, love and sacrifice. I enjoyed the character dynamics and the simplicity of the story telling. A sweet picture of small town life with a dash of magic.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

1 part witchy plot line
3 parts adorable furry companions
1 part second chance romance
3 parts family drama
several pinches of cookbook recipes

Bake at 336 in halmark fall movie vibes

If the above recipe sounds like something you would gladly eat up then this book is for you. The characters are lovable and the vibes are perfect for the change from summer to fall.

So charming and it’s easy to root for the main characters. This novel explores many normal themes (coming of age, youthful indiscretions, love lost, estranged family, grief, life aspirations) amplified by magic. It’s a lesson that you can’t give up when things get hard and to trust yourself because deep down you know what to do.

Solid four stars. I would pair with Grimoire Girl by Hilarie Burton Morgan. I recommend for fans of Practical Magic, Charmed, and the Witches of East End.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for reading this book. This book is touted for lovers of Gilmore Girls and Practical Magic so I knew I had to read it! I definitely think this book lived up to those expectations. I loved the characters and the story, but it did drag a little bit to get there. This is the perfect witchy sprinkled with a romance book for this time of year. Readers will love it.