SPELLS, STRINGS & FORGOTTEN THINGS by Breanne Randall

Sisters Calliope (Opie), Thalia and Eurydice (Dissy - can we please get a better nickname?) are cursed with losing memories if/when they do magic. Props for the unique magic system, incorporation of music and the diversity of the characters. The cozy small town setting gave me ‘Stars Hollow’ and ‘Charmed’ vibes; I appreciate that.

However, I didn’t care for the over-explaining of everything, the multiple cliches, plot conveniences, and the (rushed, forced) “enemies to lovers” romance. There were also many references to other books/movies that took me out of the story and didn’t mesh well with the world.

In short, I liked this for the witchy-sisterhood vibes, but I wasn’t wowed by it. If you’re into all things cozy and magical, you’ll probably enjoy this series.


Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️
Pub Date: 03.04.25
**ARC courtesy of Netgalley & AtRandomBooks

This book had a cozy yet mysterious feel to it. We meet three sisters who, because of an ancient family curse, must give up memories to use their magic. One of the sisters gets herself "bonded" to a very handsome member of a rival coven. From there, long-buried secrets start resurfacing, and the sisters discover that things they believed to be true may not be exactly as they believe. This book made me question what I would do in the same situation as the sisters. Would I sacrifice memories to access my magic?

Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc!!

If you are looking for a cozy witchy book coupled with fantasy this is the book for you! Spells, Strings and Forgotten Things was a very well written story with romance, family and some spell casting.

I felt this book was a bit slower paced for me and didn't really pick up the steam I thought it would. That said, I remain a big fan of Breanne Randall and look forward to reading more from her in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for the ARC.

Spells, Strings and Forgotten things is incredibly written. The characters are relatable and real was one of my favorite things because you can't find writing like that anymore. However for myself this book wasn't for me, I'm not a fan of slow paced books. This was to slow for me. I wanted more explanation to the magic system which seemed straightforward but unless I missed it, it never said the why. I do recommend this book if you like detail, mystism, relatable characters.

Did you watch and love Charmed? You’re going to love this. This was a cozy fantasy in that the action part of the plot was rushed and didn’t always make a lot of sense. I really think that could have used some refining. Also the romance was good except there was a time when it was all of a sudden they were in love and he was talking to her in a way that seemed out of place for where they were in the relationship. But overall a low stakes cozy read.

I just love witches. I'm always drawn to stories about witches, this book being no exception.

Calliope and her sisters are witches—cursed witches, actually. In order to perform magic they must sacrifice a memory. The bigger the spell, the bigger the memory. I thought this was such an interesting concept and gave the story a bit more edge, more risk.

I am not a huge fan of romance so I felt indifferent towards Calliope and Lucien. I didn't hate the romance aspect, but I preferred reading about her sisters and especially the town. One of my favorite things about witchy stories is they often take place in these wonderful, cozy towns.

Now, there were a couple things I didn't care for. I felt the history behind the Petridis was kind of hard to follow, maybe a little too convoluted. And, this is probably my dislike for romance showing, but Lucien calling Calliope 'Little Muse' made my skin crawl. It just seemed condescending and infantilizing.

<b> Cozy witchy romance that I couldn’t stop thinking about for weeks after I read the last page! </b>

<b>Synopsis:</b> A world where you must sacrifice your most precious memories in order to perform the spells you must and save those around you? ABSOLUTELY give this story to me right now. Three sisters who were once close, are growing more and more distant due to this. Calliope, our heroine and FMC is drawn to Lucien, a member of a rival coven and the must work together to overcome the looming darkness that surrounds them, all while secretly falling for each other in a sizzling heated romance.

<b>My Thoughts:</b> I genuinely enjoyed this book tremendously. I loved Breanne’s first novel so picking up her second was a no-brainer for me. Having not normally been a fantasy or romantasy genre person, I can’t help but LOVE they was I was sucked into this novel and the world that it builds. Extra bonus, I will forever love the recipes that come along with Breanne’s novels and can’t wait to try a few for myself! I am excited that this is a series!!

<i><b> Thank you, NetGalley and Ballentine Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. <b></i>

Wow! Even though this book took me a little bit to get into, once it picked up I was hooked! The magic and mystery, hidden stories and truths. And the ending that made it all come together! I enjoyed this wild ride. And the slow burn between Calliope and Lucien. 🔥 Loved it so much. I can’t wait for the next book in this series.
4.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was so excited to start this one but it ended up being slightly disappointing, I wasn't able to finish it because the characters were too unlikeable, the sisters were very rude and the FMC was very self-centered also the romance for me didn't really make sense and felt a little forced. However the magic system was very interesting that was the main thing that I liked, I also really appreciated the LGBTQ+ representation in this book.

In Spells, Strings, and Forgotten things, sisters and Lightcrafters Calliope, Thalia, and Eurydice Petridi must come together to heal their dwindling magic and string of fate that connects them to each other to guard the Dark Oak, an ancient tree protected by enchantments casted by generations of Petridi women. When Calliope attempts to take matters into her own hands, she ends up binding herself to Lucien, a Shadowcrafter who seeks the power within the Dark Oak. They must quickly learn to set aside their prejudices and collectively use their magic to save the ones they love.

First and foremost, I loved how truly magical this book was! The witchy vibes were always on. I adored their sentient book, Grim, that contained spells, recipes, potions, and their family history. All the dishes, baked goods, and drinks made in the book sounded heavenly, and I appreciate that the author included recipes of some of these things (I look forward to trying a few). Their small town gave off a Gilmore Girls feel that made me want to visit their fictional town of Gold Springs, especially the sisters’ tearoom and bookstore, Tea and Tome. I wish their Moonlight Festival in preparation of Ostara was a real event because I’d without a doubt attend. And I wholeheartedly appreciated the diverse characters, LGBTQ representation, and sisterhood amongst them.

While there were numerous things I loved, I was left with too many unanswered questions. There was a lot of repetition, for example, the amount of times it was mentioned that Lucien smells like apples and the constant reminder of the sisters’ mother abandoning them, among other things. And while the two main characters had chemistry, the more intimate scenes didn’t feel organic. The storyline had a lot of potential but because of the repetitive nature, it felt it was a little longer than need be.

Would I recommend this book for the vibes alone? Yes. There’s nothing I love
more than a magical read. Beyond that, I don’t know that I could. However, I do hope that whoever is curious and picks this up enjoys it!

Read if you love:
Witchy romance
LGBTQ rep
Small town
Family drama
Forced proximity
Enemies to lovers
Tattooed shadow daddy

Thank you to the author Breanne Randall, Random House Publishing Group, and
NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

Calliope and her sisters are able to do magic, but at a cost - they pay for it by sacrificing memories. With the mountain of things Calliope would rather not remember, this doesn’t feel like a great loss. That is until danger comes to the town their family is tasked with protecting, and she has to confront those memories and work with someone she can’t trust, Lucien who is a shadowcrafter
As they work together sparks of all sorts fly

I liked the interactions with both their families, and how the book showed what each would be willing to do to protect those they love.
And family secrets lead to some shocking revelations
The romantic relationship runs hot and cold at times, as they fight their attraction. The burn is a little slow, but it gets there

I did feel like the magical system was a bit overcomplicated, with all the curses and secrets keeping the sides separated
And, as someone with an admittedly bad memory, I don’t know that I’d willingly given them up one by one for easily done things like warming a room or getting a drink. And I’m positive I’d be an obsessive journal to protect the bigger ones. Probably digitally so I could search it. So at times that was frustrating.

I am interested enough in the family - and where we were left in the epilogue - that I’ll likely check in on the next installment of their story

Thanks to Dell for the arc!

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten things is a witchy story filled with sisters rekindling their bond, and trying to break generational curses.

This wasn't the cozy witch story that I thought it was going to be when I first requested this ARC. I enjoyed The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic, so I was hoping for a book similar to that. Though that isn't what we have, it was still an interesting story. This was more of a fantasy vibe. If you like witches, shadow daddies, and romantasy series, you'll enjoy this! Filled with some spicy scenes, you'll be left asking "what happens next?" Filled with LGBTQ+ representation, as well!

ARC BOOK REVIEW

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things by Breanne Randall

Thank you, Dell, for the #free eARC of this book and another thank you to PRHA for the #free audiobook! #PRHAudioPartner

SYNOPSIS: “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 memories. The more powerful the magic, the greater the memory required. Luckily, all Calliope wants to do is forget. Forget the mother who left them without a trace. Forget the cracks in her relationships with her judgmental oldest sister, Thalia, and her distant middle sister, Eurydice. Forget about the very cost of her magic. And most of all, forget the way the love of her life shattered her heart two years ago.

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

REVIEW: After reading Randall’s first book, I was so very excited for this one! With this one, we get a steamy enemy to lovers, with a long-standing curse and a forgotten history, all of which is wrapped up in a small-town world of magic, spells, and familial lore.

One absolute highlight of this book is the queer representation, with bi rep with the character Calliope and non-binary with the MCs good friend. I love that this book was about queer folks who were relatable and complex characters—in no way were the characters caricatured or tokenized. Queer love, queer joy, queer existence so beautifully depicted.

Narrator Saskia Maarleveld does an absolute stellar job with this audiobook! I could listen to her every day.

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things is a clear nod to Pride and Prejudice, which I love! However, this is where I struggled a bit (and I’m so sad that I did because I love P&P). The nods to Austen were nice at times, but often incredibly heavy-handed to the point where it started to take me out of the story. It served more of a distraction than a joy for me. Additionally, I found myself struggling with the world building, which is usually not the case. There was a lot jammed into this first book, especially with two more in this series planned.

All that being said, if you like witchy stories, romance, long-standing family curses, and queer rep, this is a book for you!

Publisher: Dell, PRH Audio
Pub date: 3/4/25

Tysm @prhaudio for the #gifted listening copy and @randomhouse Ballantine for early reading copy

I really enjoyed the Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic so when I saw Randall had a new book coming out I was excited!

This was an atmospheric and cozy romantasy with small town vibes that I ADORED!

It reminded me a lot of the tv show Charmed mixed with Gilmore Girls and if you are a fan of rich character development and some pretty immersive world building, pick this one up!

I also really, really loved the magical system in this one. It is quite unique and explored what you would be willing to trade for your memories which made me think a lot!

This book also reminded me so much of my two sisters. You get to see how the main character Calliope navigates her own sibling dynamics which really added to the story for me.

I really enjoyed Saskia Maarleveid’s narration of this one and tbh, when the story was dragging a bit for me, I turned to the audio and it really brought it to life and kept me engaged.

I was really excited for this story and the unique magic system, but unfortunately I found I had a really hard time getting into it. It was well written and had interesting elements, but nothing grabbed me. I was confused at the beginning, but not in a way that motivated me to continue reading. I do think people who like cozy fantasy may enjoy this one, but unfortunately it wasn't for me.

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things by Breanne Randall had such an intriguing premise, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The story centers on the Petridi sisters—Calliope, Thalia, and Eurydice—witches in Gold Springs who sacrifice memories to cast spells. This unique magic system initially drew me in, but as the plot unfolded, it felt more like a hindrance than an asset.

The pacing was uneven; certain sections dragged, making it difficult to maintain interest. Additionally, the characters lacked depth, and their development felt superficial. The enemies-to-lovers subplot between Calliope and the rival coven leader seemed forced, lacking the tension and chemistry that make this trope compelling.

On a positive note, Randall's depiction of Gold Springs was atmospheric, capturing the essence of a small town imbued with magic. The concept of memory-linked magic had potential, but its execution left much to be desired.

In summary, while Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things offered an original concept and a vividly described setting, it fell short in character development and plot execution, resulting in a less-than-enchanting read.

Rating: 2.5/5

I'd like to start off by saying I am more of a high fantasy than a romantasy reader. So, my review comes from a "not for me, but for someone" perspective.

I think if you go into this expecting some cringy moments and being okay with an entertaining story that you can't dig too into the world building on, you'll have a good time!

Unfortunately, though, overall this book fell a bit flat for me. I wasn't really rooting for Lucien and Calliope's relationship, and felt a bit disconnected from it. Many of the side characters felt a bit one dimensional, which prevented me from getting very drawn into the plot. I also had some issues with the pacing, with a slow start and rushed end.

Like I said, though, this was a risky book for me to jump into as it is more romance forward than I typically enjoy. I'm sure other readers loved this story and really connected to the characters!

I wanted so much to love this book but I just couldn't get invested in the story. Comparisons of what this was like had me hopeful of the journey but in the end fell short of the high hopes I had. The dialog and magic system were a bit lacking and the spice seemed forced like it was added as a filler.

"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"

THANK YOU, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell, for providing me with this ARC! ♥

what to expect:

🪄small town
🪄enemies to lovers
🪄atmospheric
🪄cozy & magical
🪄witches x shadow crafters

This book had a lot of potential but ultimately fell short for me; it felt more average compared to others in the genre. I really enjoyed the overarching setup of the storyline, which combines elements of "Charmed" and "Pride and Prejudice." The prologue immediately hooked me, and I appreciated the logic of the magic system - using memories to craft magic is alluring and clever. The dynamic between the sisters was also enjoyable, along with the concept of 'shadow crafters.' There’s plenty of action throughout, making it engaging and fun. However, I’m not sure how this story will span a trilogy. Some stories are meant to be stretched out, but others, like this one, would work better as a standalone or at most a duology.

3.5 stars, but rounding down for consistency on GoodReads.

Thank you to NetGalley & The publisher for allowing me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

I think for this book I'm settling on a 4 star rating. There was quite a bit I liked about it, but also some small annoyances I didn't. Overall I think it was what I wanted it to be, I just wish it wasn't so "obvious". We read this genre because we like fairy tales and happy endings right? Thats part of it? This was a little too "Disney, add spice" for me but does it work? I'd say so, if you don't mind some faulty logic/poor character choices here and there.

I think my least favorite bit was the relationship, which is unfortunate when it's obviously a main feature of the book. It felt rushed. Our MFC caved to everything too easily for being entirely brainwashed to hate everything the MMC was. And also, the language in their dialogue to one another was very YA which is not my vibe. However, there's a bit of spice in here and since I try to stay away from YA, I'm unsure how much is too much spice for the YA genre, but this book does feel like it belongs in the category.

I will say though, the overall writing style itself was fine and I enjoyed the parts where the MFC was alone just being herself (in the beginning). I really appreciated that she was bisexual and enjoyed that we got to explore that a little with her (not enough imo). Though frankly I think ALL of the characters could have been more fleshed out. There wasn't much personality to them that made them any better or different than every other character in every other novel out there.

The universe could have been more fleshed out too. Ultimately, everything that was important or should have had a lot of pages dedicated to explanation/exploration felt rushed, especially the ending, and we needed more time with those pieces to HOOK us. The book might have benefited greatly by having another 100 pages focusing on the LORE surrounding these sisters, their found past, their mother/aunts, Lucien's family, etc. Things we didn't need repeated were spoon fed to us multiple times though. It just felt off in the end and I needed that time to feel like we actually had a resolution.

I didn't agree with specific character choices. Lightly stated a bit above, I will say this:
**SPOILER ** Anyone who has ever even suspected their partner of cheating on them would not behave the way Calliope did. You're telling me you caught this asshole in lies like twice and you loathe shadowcrafters since birth, but you immediately forgive him and trust him no matter what? Excuse me but what? There were multiple points within this book where the characters just made dumb, unrealistic choices and Calliopes whole relationship with Lucian was one of them.
**END**

Overall, I did enjoy the story though. I appreciated the Greek Mythology ties, but I wanted them to mean more. I'm hoping we get to explore these concepts more in book 2 and uncover deeper lore into this universe and these characters that inhabit it.