Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things is a cute and well rounded out story. Randall is an inclusive author with representation from the LGBT community that I loved. The romances all were cute and cozy. It's a shame that this is set for a March release since it feels SO October-y. Most "witch" based stories feel October-y to me, so take that with a grain of salt! I felt the pacing was a bit slow and I found myself putting it down often, which lead to my lower rating. The ending could have tied up some loose ends better but overall, it was a cute read.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved Breanne Randall’s first book and was excited to see her come out with another one. Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things has so many elements that I love in a book like generational secrets, unexpected love, and of course witches! I will for sure be looking forward to a sequel to this one.

3.5 ⭐️ this is a great cozy fall read! I love the story concept and the relationship between the sisters and their different views on magic. Definitely a great read for fans of Charmed! My rating lost a little because there were still some unanswered questions at the end of the book. Wondering if maybe there will be a sequel? Either way, it’s a great spooky season read!

Thank you Netgalley & Ballantine/Random House for approving me to read the eARC of Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things by Breanne Randall. This book started out slow for me but it really picked up about 20% of the way through, after which I became more invested in the characters. The premise of sacrificing memories in order to perform magic was really intriguing, especially seeing out willing or unwilling the sisters were in that regard. The sisterly bond was more important and interesting than the romance in this book, and I’m not convinced the main couple should have actually ended up together.

The Petridi sisters and their family have spent generations in the cozy small town of Gold Spring, but their family and community are threatened by secrets and dangerous curses as a dark power rises. Things are not as straightforward as they seem, though, and shocking revelations and unlikely allies will test their resolve. The Petridi sisters must decide what they are willing to give up to uphold their family legacy and protect what they love.

After a bit of a slow start the pacing improves and I couldn't put this down. While I would have loved some more time with Thalia and Dissy and developing their characters, this book was, at its core, an ode to sisterhood. It was beautiful and intense as it explored the prices we pay and the sacrifices we are willing to make for those that we love. You'll be hooked.

Calliope, a young witch who is cursed to loose a memory every time she casts a spell, lives in a small town, with her two older sisters who rarely use their magic. Calliope must protect the Dark Oak, a tree that is tied to their magic, accidentally bends herself to Lucien, another witch is there to try and use the Dark Oak to save his dying sister. Calliope and Lucien must try and work together despite their differences, unwillingness to trust each other and the chemistry between them.

I loved the sisterly bond, the small town charm and the chemistry between Calliope and Lucien. The storytelling was incredible, the descriptions of the sisters cozy house were so vivid I felt like I was there. However, I wished for ta little bit more closure at the end but I’m hoping there will be a sequel to answer those questions left lingering. This is a witchy cozy read with just a tiny bit of spice.

This was a fast and easy read. I enjoyed the three sisters and magical elements of it. The romance and spice level were fun. As a lover of Jane Austen, I get what the author was trying to do. However, the references and direct quotes from her work made it too obvious and cutesy for my liking. They were just too heavy handed. Subtly would have made the references land better.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley, Breanne Randall, and Random House publishing for the advanced copy of Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things. All opinions are my own.

Calliope Petridi and her sisters are witches who must sacrifice memories in order to do magic. Calliope is the only one who has decided magic is worth the cost. Evil is roused in the town and the sisters must decide how to confront it. Through it all Calliope gets bonded with the leader of the rival coven. This story is sweet and I really enjoyed reading the description of various magical/medicinal items throughout the book. For example, the use of rosemary for focus or bringing back memories. Does rosemary actually help with our brains? I have no idea, but I loved this inclusion. I also enjoy the small town setting and the picture the author paints. The characters, even ones with small roles, all know each other and seem to be on each other's team, which I find lovely.
I gave this story 3 stars because I found it laggard and the character development lacking. Calliope is the heroine and is tightly linked with her sisters so I wish that her sisters had larger voices throughout the story. I also felt this book ended with too many unanswered questions, so many that I am curious if the author will turn it into a duology. I would definitely pick it up if so!
Overall, I thought this book was cute and fun and Breanne Randall will remain an "auto-read" author for me.

Chefs kiss! The inclusiveness, the magic, the romance.
I just adored this book. A sweet tale of 3 sisters bound together by their magic, family discovered and a new shadow daddy to drool over. Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things was everything you want a book to be. It had humor, love, romance, deception, twists and turns and even the Petridi recipes to try!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I loved this book. It comes out March 4th 2025. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this wonderful opportunity to read this arc. I’ve been on a witchy/magic mood for all my reads and this scratched that itch. I saw this referred to many times as a pride and prejudice/ charmed kind of book. I could not agree more. The characters are extremely easy to like, the plot sucks you in immediately and the magic system is beautiful. I’m honestly already ready for the sequel I’m kicking my feet giggling how much I enjoyed this book. Highly recommend for witchy read/spooky readers. I can’t wait to get a physical copy in my hands.

Thank-you NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine & Breanne Randall for this eARC

Absolutely a yes from me, I really enjoyed this read.
Breanne Randall has a wonderful descriptive writing style, I felt like I was watching a movie.
This felt like an adult Hocus Pocus (🌶️ - small but appropriate amount 🙌🏼).
Cozy small town vibes and I really loved the evolution of the sisters relationship & good vs. evil.

The socks, why were the socks so enjoyable?
I thought the ending was well done and I look forward to seeing where it goes from here.

This is one of my favorite books I’ve read this year! I love the overall vibe, the characters, the magic, the romance, and of course, the sentient grimoire!

This is an amazing cozy fantasy romance filled to the brim with magic, love, and hope.

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things was such a fun read! This story focuses primarily on three witch sisters who have different views on magic. Calliope sacrifices her memories to use trivial magic such as summoning herself a fluffy blanket, Thalia completely forbids herself from using magic and dislikes her sisters use for it, and Dissy who also dislikes magic. Their mother had used magic so much that she had given up so many of her memories that she wasn't herself anymore. This is why Thalia and Dissy are so distrustful of it. Calliope feels the need to protect that dark oak tree where they live so that others don't try to take that magic.

Calliope wanders into the forest one day after she feels something isn't right with the magic and balance of things with the dark oak. There, she tries to perform strong magic to fix the strings and ends up bonded to a very powerful shadowcrafter named Lucien. Shadowcrafters and lightcrafters should never be together according to tales. I enjoyed watching their relationship and bond grow throughout the book.

You learn a lot about the sisters pasts and why things are the way they are now in their lives. The sisters learn to become selfless to help one another and their bonds grow stronger than ever.

I loved the recipes at the end of the book, what a fun extra addition! I definitely want to try and make the orange fairy tea cakes just from how delicious they sounded in the book. The moonlight elixir cocktail also sounds amazing!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Breanne Randall, and Random House Publishing Group for a free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

You know a book is good when you immediately message the author and ask if a sequel is in the works because 🥹🥹🥹 I really loved this. The author promised Charmed & Pride and Prejudice vibes, and she absolutely delivered. This was so atmospheric and had twists that actually gave me goosebumps. There were so many reveals that genuinely made me gasp!

This was so unique, yet it vividly felt like an episode of Charmed. The central romance was swoony, and I fell in love with these characters. This is an open-door romance, but I don’t think the spice was overdone whatsoever. To be honest, I would have enjoyed a few more scenes because these two were hot 🥵 felt a tiny bit like Phoebe and Cole (because this is a forbidden romance) and I was SO here for it.

I loved the magic system, world-building, and character development. This was such an intoxicating witchy romance with the sweetest small-town vibes combined with action-packed magic scenes. This was everything I was looking for, and I cannot wait to read the next book this author releases! My only complaint is that I wanted more!

If you’re a Charmed fan and you loved the early seasons because of the bond the sisters shared, and if you love the episodes where they explore the past/meet their ancestors, then you will love this.

Thank you Dell Romance and NetGalley for this amazing ARC! Also to the girl who gave this a 1 ⭐️ review for having a LGBTQ character and not putting a “trigger warning”, you can go kick rocks. What were you even doing picking up a witchy romance in the first place? Girl, get out of here ✋🏻

Thank you to Netgalley, Breanne Randall, and Random House publishing for the advanced copy of Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things.

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things was an enjoyable and cute read. I found the pacing of the story to be a bit slow. This was my second book I have read of Randall's. Where Randall flourishes is with her unique story concepts and the world she creates for her characters. I love books with small town settings and a community that takes care of each other. I really enjoyed the idea of the sisters' tea and bookshop. It would be a place I would wish to frequent had it been a real place.

I gave Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things a three star rating the main reason being, I was not invested in the characters of the story. I would have liked having the perspectives of the two sisters, Thalia and Eurydice shown more presently throughout the story instead of them appearing to be written as background characters. Given their connection to Calliope and their roles in the story, they should have had a bigger presence. The character that I felt was best developed overall was Lucien. I found I liked him and his role to play in the story. I wanted to like Calliope, but I couldn't relate to her character.

My second reason for my rating is the story ended with quite a few questions unanswered. I feel this is a stand alone book and the likihood of there being a second book to answer these questions is unlikely. I would change my rating to 4 stars if the questions surrounding Calliope's mother and her aunts were answered. We understand what happened to the two aunts, but where is Penelope? Is she still alive? Will she return? Penelope's departure from her daughters' life is a huge part of the back story. These questions should be answered in the conclusion. As is, Randall has written a decent, but predicatable ending.

Overall, Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things is a well rounded story. What can be praised the most is how inclusive Randall is with Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things. There is a binary character and a LGBTQIA romance. While this particular romance isn't my preferred cup of tea, I know many will enjoy and appreciate the inclusion.

I will be recommending this book to others as it is worth the read. It will be published in March, but I highly recommend reading this book in the fall season as it is a cozy read with witches and magic. I will be publishing a review on Goodreads and Amazon.

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things by Breanne Randall offers a captivating premise with its blend of magic and family drama. In the quaint town of Gold Springs, Calliope Petridi and her sisters practice magic at the cost of their memories, a burden that deepens as they face an ancient evil threatening their home. Calliope's struggle to balance her magical responsibilities with personal heartache and strained family relationships provides a compelling backdrop.

While the book shines in its atmospheric world-building and the chemistry between Calliope and her enigmatic love interest, some elements fall short. The plot’s twists, though intriguing, occasionally feel abrupt, and certain side characters lack depth. Despite these issues, the book’s emotional core and magical intrigue make it an engaging read, especially for fans of witchy tales with a touch of romance.

This book follows three sisters, with their fights and their way to always find their way back to each other. There's "good" magic and "bad" magic, villains and heros, and the blurred line between all of it. Small town vibes, magic, family, both found and blood. It's a fun ride and I can't wait for more!

I loved this book and enjoyed the mystical story of friendship, family and romance. Three sisters work together to keep their community safe. They are witches but must give up a memory every time they work a spell. It is really rather sad because they lose parts of themselves and relationships. Lucien comes to their town to try to save his dying sister. He and Calliope end up bonded and must work together, in spite of their opposing types of magic. The romance was intriguing and I found myself rooting for them. I read this book on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I just couldn't get through this book, unfortunately this book is just not for me. I loved the premise, but it just got lost to me.

"Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things" by Breanne Randall is a captivating journey filled with magic, love, and sacrifice. The story beautifully blends the enemies-to-lovers trope with an enchanting world of spells and forgotten magic.

From the first page, I was drawn into a tale where two strong-willed characters are forced to confront not only each other but also their own pasts, prejudices, and the secrets they hold. The dynamic between the protagonists is electric, filled with tension and undeniable chemistry. Randall crafts a beautiful story of love and sacrifice, showing how far one will go to protect those they care about, even if it means sacrificing parts of themselves.

The magic in this book is as mesmerizing as it is dangerous, weaving its way through every twist and turn of the plot. Randall’s writing is evocative and vivid, bringing the world and its characters to life in a way that kept me turning the pages late into the night.

While there were moments I wished for more depth in some of the side characters, the main narrative arc more than makes up for it. The blend of romance, magic, and mystery makes "Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things" a spellbinding read that I highly recommend to fans of fantasy with a romantic twist.