3.5⭐️

This was a cozy paranormal/witchy romance that gives small town Gilmore Girls x Charmed vibes. I love a book with a sister relationship as the main part of the plot. We got family secrets, curses, prophecies, and a hilarious sentient book named Grim. I very much enjoyed that the FMC was bisexual and that her best friend was nonbinary. I think this would be an especially fun October read!

Overall, this book was pretty average for me. It got pretty repetitive at times. I really didn’t like the MMC. I was left a bit disappointed with how it ended.

Thank you to Dell Romance for a review copy in exchange for my honest review!

I love the themes of this book, enemies to lovers, sisterhood, family. But it was a hard read for me. It really didn’t hold my interest until the MMC was introduced. And even then after a few chapters I lost interest again. I love the author but this just wasn’t a book for me.

I loved this! It was such a great mix of mythical and just generally fun to read. It gives the same vibes as Gilmore girls or practical magic which is what originally made me so interested! It is dual POV, enemies to lovers and it explores some heavier topics such as loss of a loved one. This story is amazing and I am so happy I got the chance to read it!

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things will leave readers wanting more of this enchanting, mythical tale. A story that examines sisterhood, loss, and overcoming your past whilst fighting for the future told in a way that will leave readers laughing, crying, and begging for more.

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things ​​focuses on Calliope and her sisters, as they try to protect the small town that they dearly love. The catch is that in order to use their magic, they have to sacrifice a memory each time. Something that Calliope is all too eager to do as she tries to forget the abandonment of their mom and the other pains in her life. Things get more complicated once Lucien and his coven come to town, and Calliope and Lucien find themselves thrown together.

​I enjoyed this even more than Breanne Randall's debut book, The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic. I appreciated the diversity that was easily woven into this small town and the characters - it enhanced the story in unexpected ways. I also enjoyed the dynamic between the sisters, and I hope follow-up books will focus on Thalia and Eurydice.

The plot and "logic" of the lore/magic was a little hard to follow and complicated, and some of the descriptions were a bit lengthy and I found myself skimming through it at times. I would've loved to get more interactions between Calliope and Lucien. While it was dual POV, we only got a few Lucien chapters.​ I feel like we just got a taste of their enemies to lovers dynamic, and would've enjoyed seeing more banter to show how their attraction grew. ​

Overall though, ​once the story picked up, I read this book rather quickly and look forward to reading more books by this author.

Rating: ​4 stars
CW/TW: ​death of a loved one
Spice: 🌶️ (​a few brief/mild sex scenes)
Good for readers who: ​like a mix of Gilmore Girls and Practical Magic
Romance tropes: ​enemies to lovers, dual POV, small town romance

*Thanks to StoryGraph & Random House for providing this ARC! All opinions are my own.

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things is a delightful, cozy read with a unique magic system that adds a fresh touch to the story. One of my favorite elements was the charming sentient spell book - it brought such a fun and whimsical energy! The romance has just the right balance of drama, tension, and banter to keep things engaging without overpowering the lighthearted feel of the book. With its blend of magic, charm, and easygoing storytelling, this was a truly enjoyable read, perfect for when you want something fun and feel-good.

I am massive fan of Breanna Randall's first novel 'The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic' and so I was super excited to dive into this one. Unfortunately, I was a little bit disappointed. The reason why I loved the TUSOHAM is that there was so much space to connect to the characters and watch their interactions with each other, learn more about who they are as an individual you become emotionally invested in their story. I found that this book felt a little bit rushed, there wasn't a moment to get to know our FMC before the action just picked up. And while I think it is perfect for those who love witchy stories (which I do), I would have just loved a bit more time to get to see the relationship with the sisters, and their life (I was so interested in the tea and book shop and wanted to see more). I did enjoy myself though, I love a good witchy book and this would be a perfect read coming into the Halloween season.
What to expect:
Witchy Vibes
Magical tea and bookshop
Family Dynamics
Enemies to Lovers
Family Curse
Shadow Daddy

Thank you so much to Penguin Random House for my EARC

This book gives charmed like vibes with there magic and sisterhood. You have the older sister that doesn’t do magic one, the middle sister that barely uses her , and the younger sister that uses hers daily but it comes with a cost you give up memories for magic but you accidentally get bonded to the hot guy she can’t trust this is a good read and can’t wait for the next book

I absolutely devoured this book from the very first sentence and I could not put it down.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell and NetGalley for providing the opportunity to read and review e-ARC.

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things by Breanne Randall is a beautifully atmospheric tale blending magic, mystery, and self-discovery. The novel follows a woman returning to her hometown, only to unravel long-buried family secrets and a past she can't quite remember. The lyrical writing and rich world-building create an immersive experience, while the slow-burn tension keeps the pages turning. However, some plot points feel predictable, and the pacing lags in places. Still, the story’s enchanting magic system and emotional depth make it a compelling read for fans of witchy, folklore-infused fiction.

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten things promised to be a shadow daddy Pride and Prejudice meets charmed.

I suppose it delivered on that. There was a power of three sisters vibe, a dark and brooding shadow worker, and an enemies to lovers trope.

While I think the magic sisters protecting the magic of their town is a little overdone in witchy stories, I did like that the theme of releasing Prejudice because it clouds your sight refreshing.

An extra star to combat bigotry.

🔮 Witches
💔 Curses
🕯 Light vs Shadow
✨️ Sacrificing memories
😈 Ancient evil
❤️‍🔥 Sizzling chemistry

"Oh," Danny said, staring at Lucien, their eyes going wide. "Damn. Shadow daddy, indeed."

"Her life might be completely unraveling, but at least she had her cat, candles, and crystals."

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is my honest feedback about the book as an avid reader.*

This is my second book by Breanne & I can safely say that I thoroughly enjoy her writing. This particular book was full of so much culture & the recipes just make you so extremely hungry with their descriptions. The books is so incredibly cozy. Absolutely loved it!

I am curious if there will be another book or not. 👀

I honestly really loved this cozy witch book. It was such a beautiful story highlighting sisterhood and the strength of love between sisters which really hit home for me. As the oldest sister who had to raise her younger siblings, I really connected with Thalia and was able to understand the tough moments where Calliope was just trying to fix things even when it created a bigger mess. I thought the magic system in this book was unique compared to typical witch stories in that their magic was powered by sacrificing memories and those that are higher in value elicit stronger magic. The ending had me crying, but I honestly thought it was the best way to end it.

If I could trade memories for magic, I have to admit, I'd find the forgetfullness useful. Because my daily life is otherwise filled with walking through doorways and not remembering what I went in for.

overall pretty good! i really liked Lucien as a character, as well as the sisters. Our protag was a bit weaker as a char, and some of the magic system was a bit cliche, but in general it's a good romantasy. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

I really enjoyed this story. Romance, witchcraft, enemies to lovers, small town, family. Highly recommend.

Breanne Randall has done it again! Creating the small town we all wish we could live in, difficult family relationships, and a bond with a man she shouldn’t trust? I’m totally invested from chapter one

2.75 ⭐️ I really, REALLY wanted to absolutely fall in love with every aspect of this book - the premise, the characters, the setting - but I felt very confused, a little letdown, and a lot was left wanting more development across the board.

This book felt like it was trying to be 5 things at the same time and all at the same intensity. Smalltown ✔️ Unique magic system ✔️ Enemies-to-lovers ✔️ Food/Drink-themed ✔️ Shadow-daddy ✔️And while in theory this is all fine and possible... in execution here, it felt muddled.

We had a rich history and cultural love for Greek food and Greek heritage, but we're stuck in a small-town that's supposed to feel like family to the FMC and her sisters. It was whiplash as a reader, trying to feel such a strong connection to both places at the same time.

We had a unique magic system, but when we're constantly told "we don't know why or how it works like that, it just does" it feels less intriguing & with constant discoveries that (unfortunately) ask more questions and leave us with no answers, it doesn't feel immersive- it's frustrating. It feels like a band-aid slapped on and labeled, "it works like that because I said so."

The relationship in this story was rough for me. Insta-love? Insta-hate? Rivals-to-lovers? Enemies-to-lovers? "You're so annoying and frustrating and I hate everything you represent" for 80% of the book to quickly "F*ck me" and "I'll worship you"... I feel like the intricacies of this relationship should have been more fleshed out over the 400 pages we were given. I wanted to feel the push-and-pull right along with the characters and see them develop, but I just didn't see that happen.

If this book had spent more time in the tea shop or focused more on the shared memories and meals of the sisters, I would have felt more satisfied with how these elements were hapzardly thrown into the story as plot points. Everything sounded delicious, but it often felt out of place given the mood or surroundings.

The overuse of the term "shadow-daddy" is one thing, but the way it's played up for the MMC is almost cringe-y. He's meant to be multi-layered, incredibly powerful, and we discover deeper meanings to his motives throughout the story, yet he's constantly (and flat out called this by a character in the book) troped-up to just a dark-wielding heartthrob.

My final qualm about this book, is how it's being described/advertised. I feel labeling this as a magical, modern day Bridgerton is misleading and a more accurate description would include more contemporary terms (ex. witch-y smalltown romance, magical sisters and their whimsical tea shop adventures, generational magic & curses amidst a dark forest, etc).

I enjoyed parts of this book, truly I did, but I don't feel like what I stepped into was what I was promised before starting it. And after finishing it, the ending had me feeling very ambiguous and confused as to how so much and so little took place. Not only that, but the reader just had to accept unanswered questions that were integral to the entire plot.

I know this novel will find its place in the hearts of countless readers, I'm just sad I'm not one of them. But I wish the author all the success in the world when this book finally publishes and is reportedly being created into a TV series.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for giving me the opportunity to read this book early and share my honest review. All reviews will be posted to my socials (Netgalley, Goodreads, Fable, IG).

"A young witch cursed with sacrificing memories to cast spells must decide how much she's willing to lose to save her town in this thrilling tale of magic, love, and self-discovery - from the New York Times bestselling author of The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic.

In the small town of Gold Springs, Calliope Petridi and her two sisters carefully guard the secret of their magic and the price they must pay to practice it: memories. Luckily, all Calliope wants to do is forget: the mother who left without a trace, the sisters from whom she feels increasingly distant, and most of all, the way the love of her life shattered her heart two years ago.

But when an ancient evil awakens, the fragile thread that holds the sisters together breaks. As their magic slowly begins to fade, Calliope accidentally binds herself to the handsome leader of a rival coven infamous for their ruthless pursuit of power. Battling the sizzling chemistry with a man she can't trust, Calliope must confront painful memories of her past, dark family secrets, and ancient magic in order to protect the town and all she loves. But will she have anything left of herself?"

Just looking at the cover of this book makes me want to read it. For some reason it really reminds be of Bilbo's birthday bash.

In a modern town, three sisters are cursed with magic that can only be wielded through the sacrifice of their memories. Each sister copes with her magic and tragic past in her own way, yet their devotion to one another is imperative in the face of dangerous obstacles. This book follows the youngest sister, Calliope.

Breanne Randall’s second novel delivers everything you want in an urban paranormal romance; an enchanting small-town setting, strong family bonds, a fascinating magic system, and a sexy, shadow-wielding MMC. Randall’s writing is both captivating and poetic, filled with poignant and memorable quotes. She even included recipes for some of the food and drinks the characters enjoy.

The story is full of intriguing characters, including a personified grimoire named Grim. With an open-ended conclusion, Randall leaves room for what could be the start of an exciting series.

Spice 4/5
Plot 4.5/5
Writing 4.5/5
My Enjoyment 4.5/5

***I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review posted on Goodreads, romance.io, Tome & Instagram. Will post on Amazon when available.