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 NetGalley & Random House for providing this ARC! All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Breanne Randall's Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things offers an atmospheric dive into a small town brimming with magic and family secrets. Pitched as "Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls," this novel certainly delivers on the cozy, witchy vibes and a strong sense of hereditary magic, which I always find heartwarming to read. The descriptions of baking and cooking were absolutely delightful, often inspiring me to head to my own kitchen! Plus, the inclusion of recipes at the end of each chapter was a truly charming touch.

The story follows Calliope Petridi, a witch grappling with a memory-costing curse tied to her magic, and a past she'd rather forget. When an ancient evil threatens her town and her coven's power, she finds herself reluctantly bound to the handsome leader of a rival coven. This setup promises intriguing chemistry and a journey of self-discovery, which definitely pulled me in.

However, while many aspects were enjoyable, I did find myself a bit frustrated with some of the character choices. Being primarily in Calliope's head, there were moments where her decisions and reactions felt a bit perplexing. This, combined with some of the side characters not quite clicking with me, occasionally pulled me out of the story. I also found the motivations and behavior of the romantic interest, while adding to the drama, to be a touch unbelievable at times.

Overall, Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things is a good pick if you enjoy a story with plenty of messy drama and a touch of enchanting magic. It's a debut that showcases Breanne Randall's talent for creating atmospheric settings and intriguing magical systems. While it didn't quite hit all the marks for me, it was still an entertaining read.

Absolutely adored this cozy, witchy tale! Talking grimoire, charming town, sisterhood vibes, and delicious spells made it simply magical.

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things by Breanne Randall was such a fun and enchanting read! From the first chapter, I was hooked by the mix of magic, mystery, and a main character navigating a world she never expected to be part of.

Willow’s voice is sharp, funny, and vulnerable in all the right ways. Being suddenly dropped into a magical small town filled with secrets, hidden family history, and a brewing magical conflict? Yes, please. I loved the way Randall blended contemporary YA with witchy elements—it felt like Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls with a twist of something darker underneath.

The friendship dynamics, especially between Willow and the other witches, added depth and heart. And while the romance didn’t dominate the plot, it was sweet and added just enough spark to keep me rooting for it.

The pacing was great, and I loved uncovering the magical lore alongside Willow. If you enjoy stories about finding your place, embracing your power, and uncovering family secrets (with a side of spells and sass), this one’s for you.

I absolutely loved Breane Randall's first book and when I heard this book was a Charmed Meets Gilmore Girls, I was like "Sign Me Up"!!!

I liked the idea of this book but it turned out ok for me. It didn't quite hook me in like her first book. Maybe I had a higher expectation when reading, and I just got disappointed when the book played on.

I would say, if you go in blindly, it might be a better read.

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things had the cozy atmosphere and a unique story concept, but it lost me in the execution of the story. Calliope’s character felt inconsistent and she would jump from emotion to emotion and thought to thought so it made it hard to relate to her or root for her specifically. The magic system was both overwhelming and underdeveloped. What you thought you knew about it changed multiple times in the book and it just muddled everything. I feel like more time could have been spent on the sister relationship and less on the mismatched socks. I’m not sure if this is supposed to be a stand-alone, but if it is, it felt like too much was attempted and it ended up making the book drag in portions and then overwhelmed the reader with exposition in others. There were also so many unanswered questions that were glazed over with “we’ll get to it, don’t have time now.” Overall, I liked it, but I didn’t love it.

Ohhh how I loved this book so much. Everything about it felt like the coziest kind of witchy book. A talking grimoire? Adorable. The town? I wanted to move there yesterday. Tea & Thome? Love. And when I saw this book was compared to Charmed? I mean. Done deal. That cozy, witchy sisterhood vibe is exactly my thing. Their dynamic was everything I needed. Add in all the delicious food, cocktails, spells, the love, the atmosphere… it was just right. & So glad the epilogue gave me what I needed with Lucien (bless), but I’m still crossing my fingers for a sequel. I’m not ready to leave this world behind. Breanne Randall, I’m officially a fan.

Thank you to netgalley for the Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A tale woven with generational curses and ones that can only be broken once in a lifetime. This is an enemy to lovers' romance that has been prophesied and avoided for centuries. Now, it falls to Calliope to uncover the secrets her ancestors tried to bury and discover what it truly means to save her cherished town of Gold Springs… and to become the Cursebreaker.
I absolutely adored this story and its unforgettable characters. Set in a charming small town where magic is kept secret, the romance between Calliope and Lucien will completely sweep you off your feet. With just the right amount of spice for a cozy magical romance, Lucien is the shadowy daddy you didn’t know you needed. I also appreciated how Randall seamlessly wove in complex family dynamics, adding even more depth to an already captivating story.

*Thank you to Breanne Randall, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell and Netgalley for the digital copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

I love reading a book with a bit of magic and love. Breanne did a good job at weaving magic and romance in this. At times though, I felt like there was a bit too much to read - which made me take a longer time than I would have liked, to finish this. But overall, it was a good read.

I found it challenging to finish, as I don't DNF books. It was a painful experience. I did not enjoy the characters, world-building, or the magic in this story. Therefore, I won't be posting a review on my social media profiles.

I'll be honest, I think this author's writing just isn't for me. I wasn't able to finish reading this.

I truly wanted to fall in love with these characters but felt the dialogue was so hard to connect with, and felt unnatural for.

I think this story has a great heart and plot, and I liked how the characters developed into better. The ending wasn’t my favorite.

In all honesty I was left unsatisfied by this one, and wanted a bit more.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for this arc. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

I wanted to love this book so bad, but I just cannot get into it. Maybe it'll be a better TV show.

FMC is annoying and immature. I cannot connect with any of the characters. Almost insta-love from the broody MC who is actually nicknamed "Shadow Daddy" just takes me out of it. Why do the sisters Dissy and Thalia feel like a copy + paste of Elain and Nesta from ACOTAR series? I could not stop thinking about that.

Overly descriptive passages of mundane activities and "blink and you'll miss it" action scenes was just irritating. It's like the book is trying to do everything: cozy fantasy, magical mystery, sister to sister bonding and trauma healing, Romantasy, magic systems that are cliche and also don't make sense, the list goes on. I cannot get into this book and I'm a huge lover of fantasy and all things witchy. It's almost like this book needed a different editor or something. I don't know, but I am really bummed out as I had high hopes for this one.

If you're into cozy witchy vibes, emotional family drama, and a dash of steamy enemies-to-lovers romance, Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things by Breanne Randall might just be your next favorite read. Charmed meets Pride and Prejudice, with a touch of Gilmore Girls' small-town charm. The magic system, based on memory sacrifice, offers a fresh take on the genre, prompting reflections on what we're willing to forget to move forward.

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things is a heartfelt tale of magic, love, and the complexities of sisterhood. If you're looking for a story that combines the whimsical with the profound, this one is worth a read.

3.5 rounded up

I enjoyed the overall premise of this book, but it took me quite a while to get there. There is a lot of information thrown at you and sometimes it was hard to keep up.

The pacing was back and forth. Either too quick or too slow. The romance seemed forced in the beginning, though it did get better as it went on. I just didn’t feel like they had much chemistry and there wasn’t much build-up.

The magic elements in this were pretty cool, but at times felt forced to be more than what was actually needed to tell the story.

I am intrigued to see where the story goes, though I think regardless of what happens in the next two books this probably could have been edited more to make it a duology rather than a trilogy. We shall see!

I wanted to love this book far more than I did. I love Breanne Randall and was so excited for this book; but something was just seriously missing for me. This book is shown as Pride & Prejudice meets Charmed which sounded entirely intriguing but it was a touch underwhelming.

The descriptors were just too repetitive and it was really wordy. I felt like I needed to skim more than devour the book due to how mundane it became. The unintentional binding felt a bit strange, but I have to admit that the romance that followed was really nicely written and had some really good elements that I wish the rest of the book had.

Super grateful that this is just the beginning of a series and am hopeful to see what comes next!

I liked this book, but nothing felt new. There is a rift between light and shadow magic and a romance between Calliope (light magic) and Lucien (shadow magic), which is a basic enemies-to-lovers to lovers, with a magical bond between them. It might’ve a basic romance, but I liked it, and they did have tension and banter. I also liked the memory curse on Calliope and her sisters, which was an interesting twist to the magic system, and the bond/relationship between them. However, what I didn’t like was the pacing, which didn’t feel consistent, and it was a basic and predictable story and romance.

Actual rating: 3.5

Physical Copy: 3/5
Audiobook: 3.5/5

I honestly think this book is perfectly described by its blurb, which is funny because there are so many times now when book descriptions don’t match the story at all. That’s not the case here. When it says this book is filled with "magic, love, and self-discovery," that’s 1000% accurate. Now, when it describes itself as a "thrilling tale," that really depends on your definition of thrilling. It didn’t necessarily have the level of thrill I personally look for, but I have no doubt that there will be readers who find excitement in the relationship between Lucian and Calliope.

Lucian fits the big, tall, grumpy, protective trope, and Calliope is that bratty, spirited girl who balances him out perfectly. There’s definitely something there for readers to sink their teeth into as we watch their connection develop. And I can’t lie—there were moments when my feet were kicking. I'd say the spice level is about a three out of five, which blends well with the larger themes at hand. Any more spice would’ve risked pulling the reader out of the story, so I appreciated the restraint.

My favorite part of this book is the magic system. I love when magic comes at a cost—whether emotional or physical—and here it’s psychological. We see Calliope’s magic require sacrifice, specifically sacrificing her memories. Early on, we see her find ways to finesse this, but we also see how it’s left her slightly detached from real emotion and relationships. The fear of losing her most precious memories adds weight to every choice she makes.

We also get to experience Calliope’s relationship with her sisters. Much of this book is about sisterhood, reconnecting, and discovering family secrets to move forward. As well as learning one’s worth It reminded me a lot of shows like Charmed—the dynamic between the sisters, the serious threat looming in the background, and the need to come together to navigate dangers they don't fully understand yet.

Since I went into it knowing this was more of a cozy read and that romance would be a huge part, I wasn’t too disappointed by the ending. However, the epilogue did feel like something the author added to appease readers who like a neatly wrapped, happy ending. Personally, I would’ve preferred the story to end without the epilogue. (Spoilers ahead!) I thought it was really powerful that Calliope had to sacrifice the love she built with Lucian to save the day. That sacrifice made a beautiful ending that set things up perfectly for the next book. The epilogue, where Lucian returns and they reunite, was sweet but unnecessary for me. I would’ve liked to see that reunion saved for the next book, especially since this is clearly the start of a series.

That said, I’m definitely intrigued to see where Randall takes things next. It feels like there's a possibility the next book might shift focus to one of the other sisters—kind of a Bridgerton approach—while still keeping returning characters. There are still unresolved plot points too, like finding the sisters' mother and dealing with Lucian’s father, who’s still a threat.

For an entry book into a new series, Randall does a great job of giving readers a little bit of everything—magic, romance, sisterhood, and mystery—to keep them interested in picking up the next one. In the next installment, I’m personally hoping for even more magic, a little more suspense, and maybe a little less romance so that the danger feels heavier and riskier, rather than getting swept away by hookups and kisses (even though those moments were definitely fun too).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-galley of this read, and to Dell for the physical copy as well!

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things by Breanne Randall is a beautifully enchanting contemporary fantasy that gave me total '90s Charmed vibes — the Petridi sisters’ bond (and occasional drama) felt like stepping right into an old-school witchy TV marathon. The small-town setting of Gold Springs is packed with cozy, magical charm, inclusive representation, and mouthwatering mentions of the treats from the sisters’ shop, Tea and Tome (seriously, you’ll be craving pastries the whole time).

Calliope’s struggle with the cost of magic—sacrificing her memories—adds a refreshing depth to the story, and the romance with the rival coven's broody leader, Lucien, absolutely delivers. He’s the perfect “shadow daddy” type, bringing major Pride and Prejudice energy with every smoldering glance and sharp exchange.

While there were a few slow moments that kept it from being a full five stars for me, I loved the emotional pull of sisterhood, self-discovery, and second chances. If you’re looking for a magical, heart-aching, and slightly spicy escape, Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things is pure witchy goodness.

Read if you like:
🔮 Forced Proximity
🔮 Enemies to Lovers
🔮 Small Town
🔮 Slow Burn
🔮 Inclusive Representation

TY to Net Galley and Ballantine for the ARC. I was disappointed in this book based on the expectations I had from reading her first book. This story didn't contain anything new from what I've read of witchy fantasy in the past. The romance was too instant for me and therefore not believable. I did enjoy the sister and friend dynamics.