I had a problem getting into to it, which is mostly a me problem. In going to step back for a bit and come back to it in a few weeks and update from there.

I was immersed in this story immediately. I would find myself finishing a chapter and physically needing to keep going. There were parts that felt a little slow or overly verbose but then I realized the picture in my head of what was happening was so well thought out and detailed, it was like I was watching it happen on screen as I was reading it. Breanne Randall didn’t just give us a book to read, she gave us a family, friendships, true love, and a town to love and grow with. Thank you!

Lucien is dark and mysterious but also so sweet and gentle. He is long lasting book boyfriend material.

Calliope is strong willed and would do anything for her loved ones. She is quirky and feisty, and completely herself. I absolutely love her.

The Calliope and Danny bff banter is so relatable. Everyone has that friend that you get to vent to and sometimes pretend not to hear when they have good advice. My only criticism is that I wanted more of it (hopeful to get that in future books)

The self sacrifice for family story line is full on, as a 2, I relate on all fronts. Reuniting with family, coming together to reaffirm bonds, sisterhood, ugh, it’s just so good. And throw in a sentient grimoire, come on?! Can’t go wrong.

I love witchy books; I read a ton of them, the magic in this book feels special and all its own. I can’t wait to read more when the series continues. Woo-hoo! Sign me up

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC, this one will become a physical book trophy for sure.

I sadly could not get into this book, I don’t know if it’s my mindset or what. I will be trying to get into this book again at a later date and come back here to update.

I loved Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things! Sisterly bonds, witchy vibes, comfort food & tea, dance parties and a shadow daddy! This book was the perfect recipe for enemies to lovers, magic, banter, curses and my favorite, a sassy grimoire!

We follow three sisters each with a different personality and bond to their magic as they must sacrifice a memory to use their light magic as part of a generational curse. Their family line is the secret magic that protects the town from ancient evil but when weird things start happening and the enhancements start failing, healing and understanding their bond is more important than ever.

Calliope is the main fmc who is a little wild, reckless and most in-tuned with her magic and wanting to save the town from darkness. With a strange twist of fate, Calliope finds her self entwined with a broody shadow magic wielder named Lucien who is also known as an enemy. They now must work together against the evil, both with their own agendas, as they uncover secrets, prejudice and learning what it means to live.

Breanne created a fun and whimsical story until the very end! I can't wait for the next book to check back in with the sisters (especially with the little twist) and hopefully get more answers to some of the lingering questions from book one!

The start was a little slow and felt a little out of order, but the more I read, the more the plot and details started coming together.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Breanne Randall, and Random House Publishing Group for the advanced reader copy! My thoughts are my own.

Sister bonds, witchy vibes, a dash of spice equals the perfect autumn read. This was charming and fun. I highly recommend.

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things was such a fun witchy read! I loved the relationship between Calliope and her sisters. I also loved the enemies to lovers romance, I ate it up!

I do think that some things weren’t as fleshed out as I would have liked, but I saw on the author’s instagram that this is book one in a series so hopefully some things get expanded on in the next book!

This is a delightful story of sisterly bonds, whimsical magic, and a perfect pinch of spicy romance.


Calliope, FMC, is one of three sisters with a bond that allows them to do light magic. The “cost” of their magic is that they have to sacrifice a memory. A memory for a spell. Calliope is a bit reckless, giving away memories for even the smallest bit of magic. I really enjoyed her story and seeing how she evolves & grows through the book.


The sisters protect the town from their rival family/coven who are casters of shadow magic. One of whom is Lucien, our MMC. I adored him. Immaculate “shadow daddy” vibes. Banter with Calliope is perfect.

The plot gets a little weird for me. I end the book feeling like there’s some information missing. A good part of the book is revolving around the generational histories and the sisters’ mother Penelope. I didn’t feel like it was explained or fleshed out really well. Buuuut, maybe there’s a sequel??

It’s a VERY sweet ending that I absolutely loved. It was a stay up too late because I couldn’t put it down kind of ending. Those are the best!

Breanne Randall has become a favorite. I LOVE the whimsical, magical writing style she brings. Lovable characters in cozy settings with recipes!

My fav quote from MMC- “I would say ‘I’d die for you,’” he said in a low voice, tracing her cheek, the line of her jaw, outlining her lips. “But what’s the point in that? I would live for you.” 🥹 okay Lucien! He gets top book boyfriend spot. I melted for him.

This book is great! Definitely read it!
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the eARC.

A magical read!! A witchy book that has love, family, friendship, and self discovery.

I enjoyed the read and definitely recommend. It’s a perfect fall read!

Thank you NetGalley!

Spooky season is upon us. My latest spooky read was Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things. This was a great fall read.

received an ARC of this through NetGalley and HOT DAMN am I ready to own it IRL come 2025.

Having read Brianne’s first work, the unfortunate side effects of heartbreak and magic, I already knew that she could spin some magic into her words. This book was a deeper step into the realm of weaving real life practices and a touch of fantasy, and also “aging” her writing up? Not just in a tall dark handsome way, but in a method that involved deeper emotional conflict, a touch of violence, and a bit more at stake than a regular “love story”.

Really happy I had the opportunity to read this one, excited to have a physical copy as a “trophy” on my shelf, and looking forward to more of Breanne’s stories.

First off thank you NetGalley and Breanne Randall for allowing me to read this early. I thoroughly enjoyed it and think it was the perfect cozy ready to kick off the fall season! I was promised Charmed meets Pride & Prejudice vibes, and I would definitely say that it delivers!

I gave this book a 4-star review. The story was very cute and fun, however the pacing was a bit slow, some of the characters felt a little underdeveloped to me, and I had a few unanswered questions. With that being said, I don’t want to post spoilers before the books is out, but I love how inclusive Randall is with her characters and there is a binary character and a LGBTQIA romance.

Calliope and her sisters run a tea/book shop and I found myself wanting to be in that shop with them. I enjoyed the romance in the story and loved the magic system as it was a new way of doing things. Her unique way of showing the cost of magic was refreshing and something I haven’t seen done before.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will be recommending it :)

A great story of love, sisterly bond, magic, strength in self, and letting go. Reminder to always cherish the small memories as well as the big moments.

Thank you Netgalley, Breanne Randall, and Random House for this ARC!

Honestly, I didn't enjoy this book and DNF-ed it. I found the flowery language trite, the characters poorly developed and boring, and the constant plot holes or inconsistencies were distracting.

The concept is great and I was really excited to give Randall a second try after her first book (which I also DNF-ed). I really, really wanted to like this one. It just fell flat for me, even though it is an improvement on her previous book.

I do think she needs to include content warnings in front of her books, as Randall does cover some intense issues. Although, different from other reviewers, A person's identity, especially that of a marginalized community, should NOT be a content warning. I'm talking parental abandonment and topics such as that.

Book Review: Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things by Breanne Randall

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things by Breanne Randall is a delightful novel with a fresh and imaginative premise. Set in a charming small town, the book expertly captures that close-knit community feel, where relationships—both familial and romantic—are heart-warming and central to the story. Randall does a wonderful job weaving LGBTQ+ representation into the narrative, making it feel both authentic and inclusive, which is always a joy to see in modern fantasy.

One of the highlights of the book is the idea behind its magic system. It's creative and promises a lot of potential. However, while the concept is intriguing, the execution left me wanting more. There are moments where the magic lacks the depth and complexity I was hoping for, and some plot holes make certain parts of the story confusing. A deeper dive into the world-building and more fleshed-out explanations of the magic system would have enhanced the narrative significantly.

At times, the storytelling relies too much on telling rather than showing. This makes certain scenes feel forced or rushed, particularly when it comes to emotional beats or moments of character growth. There are also parts of the dialogue and interactions that come across as a bit cheesy, which detracts from the overall immersion. A more natural flow in the writing could have made these moments feel more organic.

That said, the romance aspect of the story was a pleasant surprise. It plays a more prominent role than I initially expected, but that worked in the book's favor. The main romantic relationship is well-developed, and I found myself genuinely rooting for the characters. It added an enjoyable layer to the book, balancing out some of the weaker elements.

Overall, while Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things has its flaws, it's still an enjoyable read, especially for those who appreciate cozy romances with a sprinkle of magic. The small-town atmosphere, the charming relationships, and the representation are definite strong points. With a little more polish in terms of world-building and narrative execution, this could have been a truly standout fantasy novel.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for providing an Advanced Reader Copy.

When an ancient evil threatens their town, the Petridi sisters must work together to save their magic.
Calliope, the only one of the three willing to sacrifice her memories for their magic, unintentionally bonds herself to a rival coven's leader.
But Lucien is distracting--distractingly annoying, and distractingly handsome, in a shadow daddy kind of way. Calliope doesn't trust him, but they are forced to work together.
The fragile bond between the sisters broken, they must find a way to fix it to save their town and their magic. Can they do it without losing any pieces of themselves?

If you are a fan of family curses, ancient magic, shadow daddies, morally grey bad guys, sentient grimoires, and adorable tea shops, READ THIS BOOK!!! I laughed, I cried, I wished I had two sisters to share a magical bond with. I've already preordered this book and literally cannot wait for it to arrive on my doorstep!

The beginning of the book was slow, and the story didn't flow as well as it should have. Would have loved to hear more about, or from, the sisters perspectives. The ending left me wanting more answers. I do hope there is a sequel, I'd absolutely read it. I would still recommend giving this witchy read a try. It had some original eliminants to it that I really appreciated. Thanks, NetGalley!!!

I loved this whimsical, witchy book!

The three Petridi sisters are cursed and to use their magic they must sacrifice a memory. The characters were easy to like, the plot is incredibly engaging and was such a fun read.

Calliope Petridi has spent her life sacrificing her memories to protect the Dark Oak, an enchanted tree in the Forgotten Forest that is somehow tied to their very magic. When bad things start happening around town, she can only come to one conclusion. The enchantments are failing, and when they do, something dark and dangerous will be unleashed. To save their magic, and also each other, the Petridi sisters will have to discover the story of their lineage, the history behind their curse, and what memories they will have to sacrifice in order to break it. The romances that materalize throughout the story I loved, the banter was funny and enjoyed the interactions.

One highlight to the book I thoroughly enjoyed were the recipes, such a fun addition😊

I highly recommend for witchy/spooky readers. I can’t wait to get a physical copy in my hands!

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.
Pub date: March 4, 2025

Breanne writes such unique books with whimsicle storylines.
The story itself moved a bit slow, I would have loved to gain POVs from the sisters and had all mysteries/questions answered (mainly - where is Penelope) but overall this is a solid book for anyone who enjoys a shadow MMC, sisterly bonds and paranormal vibes

This book was EXACTLY what I needed. I adored the sister's relationship. The complexity that can only be described by family. The protective older sister, the peace keeping middle sister and the wild/impulsive younger sister.

And our Shadow Daddy, Lucien! Talk about the best big brother in the world! ( I have thoroughly enjoyed the amazing older brother's fantasy writers have been producing lately!)

The generational trauma is explored so well in this book and watching the characters overcome, process and grow was such a great experience. This will honestly be a book that lives rent free on my brain!

A good book to read with a cup of tea, while relaxing in front of a warm fire.

Cozy urban fantasy about three sisters in charge of guarding an old source of powerful magic. A spell book named Grim, a fortune teller tharapist, bestie named Danny who she parties with to make memories to use for spells, and that's just the beginning. Once Calliope life gets entwined with that of a dreaded Shadowcrafter named Lucien and a whole world of secrets and deep rooted magical prejudice is uncovered. Can the sisters find a way to save the magic they're destined to protect?

I loved the cozy world building; the old feel of a small town in a modern world. I found the characters in the story to be interesting with good back stories. The sisters' magic being tied to memories was well done. This book was definitely strong on the family and found family aspects. There were two spicy scenes, but they were quite mild. The violence was mild as well, for a fantasy novel.

Now for the best part: the food featured thought out the book... all the recipes are in the back of the book! Now I want to read it again and make the foods as I go.