I thoroughly enjoyed this book filled with witches, curses, love spells and family betrayal. There's a lot going on with many years of history that can be a bit of a challenge to keep up with but the stakes are high. There's a journey with trials that are necessary to break the curse and creature a future of free will and chances for true love for the Mac Kinnon witches. Help comes from unexpected sources with add to the drama. I read this book on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book had some great ideas and interesting characters, but it just didn't resonate with me. The story was chaotic and hard to follow, even though we knew how it would end. I couldn't tell if there were clues about the ending or if there were gaps in the plot because everything felt jumbled.

There were some beautiful quotes, but they got lost in the writing. It seemed like the author was trying too hard to create memorable lines in every paragraph, which made it tough to read. I often found myself rereading sections multiple times just to grasp what was happening. By the time the big moments came, I was too exhausted to care. The points of view were inconsistent and didn't flow well.

The characters were intriguing and had interesting relationships, though some felt a bit exaggerated. The main character and her family had a great dynamic that could have been explored further. However, the chemistry between the main characters was lacking, which made the romantic moments feel awkward instead of exciting.

Overall, this story had potential, but it needed more focus on development and less over-the-top writing. Still, it did carry a good message.

I received this ARC for and honest review.


3.5 stars

A Circle of Uncommon Witches is about Doreen who is stubborn, strong, and genuinely good, and wants to break the family curse. As the a daughter of the 13th line she is particularly strong and has a unique magic.

This book is also about Ambrose, who cursed Doreen's line centuries ago and has been suspended in his own curse in all that time.

Doreen frees him and embarks on an adventure to break both their curses, even if it means losing her family to save them. But nothing is as it seems and Doreen and Ambrose must go through further trials to succeed.

Not sure if there will be a sequel but it does not end in a cliffhanger and I think can be read as a standalone.

I liked the concept, and I liked how the story progressed. Some descriptions were too witchy in the way it sounded metaphorical but turned out to be literal. Otherwise, very cozy read just in time for autumn.

Thank You netgally and Paige cutter for giving me the opportunity to read this arc.

I didn't hate this book but it also wasn't a favourite of mine, I felt like there was a alot of jumping, and not a lot of explaining of the curse and what was going on in the book. I feel like it could of been more. I especially feel like their was no love between Doreen and Ambrose, Like i feel like they didn't talk at all and all of sudden they were in love? and the trails felt rushed and not explained, like how were they even trails. . Her whole mother plot didn't get explained either? what happen to her? Where did she go? I just wish this book had more. I didn't hate it but it wouldn't be a book I would pick up again .

The summary for this sounds terrible and cheesy. In reality, it’s compelling and sweet. I didn’t want to put it down. It’s a little too high stakes to be cozy fantasy IMO, but it’s also not pulse-pounding adventure, high heat Romantasy. It has strong Practical Magic vibes. I liked the characters, the way the generational stories wove together, and the magic. The ties to music seemed stronger in the second half and therefore felt a little overdone. I would have liked more balance, not just with that, but in the overall pacing. As much as I enjoyed the book, there were sections where my focus drifted.

I really wished that I enjoyed this book more based on the synopsis, but I felt like the pacing was off. Some explanations of the past were given at unusual times in the book. I also felt like certain parts were rushed and characters moved through the world at odd speeds.
I also felt like the romance was less enemies to lover and more at first glance. Even when the author tried to make it seem like Ambrose didn’t like Doreen (via Doreen’s POV) you could still see that it was just her POV. That is fine except I was expecting more of an enemy to lovers’ kind of book.
I overall think maybe this should have been spaced into 2 books or even been a bit long because it felt rushed at the end. I did love the sisterly bonds in the book. I also would recommend it as a quick cozy read, but would not market it as an enemy to lovers trope.

A Circle of Uncommon Witches is a fun and whimsical tale of an ancient curse and the witch who wants to break it. It took a few chapters to get going but once it did I didn't want to stop reading it. The setting and characters are intriguing.
Thanks to NetGalley and St, Martin's Press for my ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars. Thank you NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The premise of this book had so much potential but unfortunately wasn’t executed very well. The romance was a SLOOWWWW burn and when the romance did happen it was “insta love” which isn’t my cup of tea. The first half of this book was extremely slow I found myself struggling to continue. I did enjoy the last 100 pages or so a lot but unfortunately I just wasn’t a fan of the slow burn.

I was very intrigued by the premise of this book and had high hopes. I wanted it to feel like Practical Magic but with a twist, but I had an issue with the pacing. The characters were great, and the storyline was interesting, but I think I would have enjoyed the book a lot more if it had been longer and edited a bit more! I'll pick another of Paige Crutcher's books, though!

I liked the premise of the book but unfortunately I just couldn't get into the story the way I was hoping to. It was all a bit convoluted and difficult to follow. Doreen and Ambrose were both individually great characters, but I wish I had felt more of their chemistry. Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

HOLY SMOKES!
It's giving "Masters of Death" by Olivie Blake and fantastic, century-old love curse!

So the beginning was a lot to get the book off the ground and was heavy to read, but then the trials, the twists, THE ENDING- THAT LAST SENTENCE?!

Like WHAT JUST HAPPEN!? Blew my mind wide open! Perfect rain/fall moody reading week we had

Definitely going to be a story that haunts me and will be re-read like certain journals from the novel 😉

Doreen wants real, honest-to-goodness, true love and is willing to die for it. Literally. She & her cousin, Margot are the 13th generation & meant to be the strongest witches yet. Doreen goes on a heroes quest and discovers the truth of love. Whether it's philia, storge, or eros, love has the power to either lift or destroy. Through the mists and quests, Doreen discovers so much about her power, her family, and the history of the three clans.

The beginning was a lot at once trying to build up the world and lay the stones of history. After the first quarter, the book found its footing, and the world grew on a melody. I can't wait to have a physical copy! Oh? That ending- the last sentence- you'll just have to wait and see!!!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced copy of A Circle of Uncommon Witches!

It’s so refreshing to have a main character that isn’t 18-23 years old (main character is almost 30). Unfortunately that’s the only thing I really liked about this book. I spent the first 100 pages just waiting for something interesting to happen only to be disappointed. This book was rushed and incredibly slow all at the same time. It felt like there were too many things happening and not enough time spent on those plot points. Another round of editing or splitting the book up into two books would’ve made this a little better. I also found it very difficult to connect with the characters (very one-dimensional). Overall, the book had a very cool concept but the execution was not great.

Doreen is the thirteenth generation in her family of cursed witches. Generations ago they were cursed to never have someone truly love them, so by the age of 3o they either end up in one sided relationship or face death. Can Doreen along with Ambrose the witch her family has been torturing for decades over come the curse before her 30th birthday?

This was my first time reading one of Paige's books. I'm not sure if it's a common theme or just in this one, but I found the characters point of view jump around a lot never truly giving the entire story. There was a lot of long winded wind up and back story for an ending that seemed too quickly wrapped up.

I was very fortunate to get an arc of this. The premise and cober was interesting. Sadly, I couldn't get into it. Felt like it was lacking in some ways.

The plot of this book was very interesting and had a lot of potential but unfortunately the execution fell a bit flat. The book struggled with pacing with the beginning moving very fast but then dragging through the middle parts. It also as a fantasy lacked the typical world building one would expect and that made it hard to follow the magic. I definitely enjoyed parts of it and am interested to see what the author does next.

Doreen MacKinnon is the 13th generation of the MacKinnon witches making her very powerful. Her family has been cursed to never love and Doreen is intent on breaking the curse. 300 years ago, Ambrose MacDonald fell in love with a MacKinnon woman, but when he was forbidden from being with her, he created a curse against the MacKinnons. As a result, the witches trapped him in a tempest. Now, after freeing Ambrose, the two become reluctant partners to end the curse. Together they embark on a dark and complex quest filled with trials and traps. The story is part paranormal adventure and part enemies-to-lovers romance.

I enjoyed the author's writing style and the magical elements in the story. I wished the book was longer to allow the characters, backstories, and the magical system to be more fully flushed out. I wanted a better understanding of some character's motivations as well as an understanding of the magic and curse at play. Despite the story leaving me with questions, I found it engaging and the overarching message of love conquers all to be nice.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

*A Circle of Uncommon Witches* by Paige Crutcher is a bewitching tale of love, vengeance, and the power of destiny. Doreen MacKinnon, a witch cursed to never find true love, is determined to break the centuries-old spell cast on her family. The twist? She must team up with Ambrose MacDonald, the very witch who cursed her bloodline in the first place. Their reluctant partnership forms the heart of this story, filled with tension, magic, and unexpected sparks.

Crutcher weaves a compelling narrative as Doreen and Ambrose embark on a journey that takes them through trials, ancient castles, and even into realms beyond imagination. The story's blend of adventure and romance keeps the reader hooked, especially as Doreen is forced to confront the sacrifices required to break the curse. The dynamic between the two leads is electric, and their evolving relationship adds depth to the plot. Though the story has its predictable moments, the rich setting and well-developed characters make it a delightful read for fans of magical romances with a dash of destiny.

“To be loved back, in kind, might be the truest form of magic that exists.”
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy of A Circle of Uncommon Witches!

I didn’t hate this, but I have to admit that I didn’t love it either. While the premise of this book seemed very fun, I have to admit that I was let down for a few reasons.

Firstly, I find that the story was all over the place and I felt thrust into it with very little explanation. The pacing could have also used some work, as some situations that could have used more time were glossed over, and some scenes were much too long.

Doreen and Ambrose were constantly getting on my nerves for whatever reason, and I just wasn’t rooting for them. I knew they would end up together, but things went from 0 to 100 with them very quickly - almost insta-love, which I don’t love.

Though this didn’t affect the reading experience for me, there were several typos in the last handful of chapters which were easy to catch.

All in all, a promising premise but a flawed execution in my opinion.

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ rounded up to a 4!

The book had really good ideas for the plot, I would’ve appreciated more insight on the magic system and have the enemy’s to lovers not be so rushed. I would’ve like to have more “play” or banter between the two characters.

I felt like I was getting whip lash when I was reading it with how fast things were going!

The aspects I LOVE are the heavy family relationship vibes and detailed information about the past!

I received a copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you for this advanced copy of the book!

I really enjoyed the Practical Magic vibes at the start, and the forbidden love/Romeo-and-Juilet troupe. I found that the book began quickly, but then slowed down considerably a few chapters in. The pace slowing down drew me out of the book a bit. But I did love the mystery, sense of adventure, and magic in the book.