Member Reviews
Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a fun, cozy, romantic read that is perfect for Fall. With tons of witchy, small-town vibes, this book made me want to curl up with a warm pastry and a cup of tea.
This was a pretty quick read for me, but that doesn't mean the book lacked depth. I really appreciated the author's explorations of grief and disability, and I thought that the representation was really beautiful to see. I have never read a book with Cerebral Palsy rep, so that was really special.
Overall, this was fun, quick, and a good start to the cozy season reads. Full of opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine, small town, witches, and magic, this is surely one that will have a lot of fans.
I think that had I read a physical copy rather than the audiobook, my rating would be higher because I found myself not being a total fan of the narration.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced audiobook of Magic in the Air. All opinions are my own.
I liked the fall witchy vibes and the premise had promise.
But the MMC was awful and I don’t think enough was done to redeem him. This just wasn’t for me.
Ok this was adorable , i love the whole hidden town and how he goes to find his heritage and fall in love. And I like the FMC as well. Definitely enjoyed. The audio was really good as well
I went in to this book thinking it'd be a cute witchy read for spooky season, but all the magic in this book fizzled out before it even got started.
Olivia is an okay FMC. She is a single mom (baby daddy left when he discovered she's a witch), a witch, an orphan (parents left when she was a baby), and has a disilbility (celebral palsy). She is mainly a good mom, except when it comes to letting strange men into her son's life. Draven has been in town for one week, and Olivia is suddenly letting her nine year old spend all this time with him. As a mother myself, of an eight year old, absolutely not. She didn't trust him, knew he was up to something bad, but still let her son around him. Sorry (not really), but that definitely lowers my view of her as a mother. She's also had a hard life, with being in and out of foster homes. But, unless it's convenient to remind the reader of this fact, her disailibilty and past aren't mentioned. Her disability is only mentioned in passing a handful of times rather than being an active part of her. I'm not saying it should have been her entire personality, but for representation sake, it should have been a part of her every day life. Honestly, you could have taken that part out of the story and nothing would have changed. And that's not a true represtation of how disabilities work.
Draven is the villian and not even a good villian. He's not the type of guy you want to root for. He was very immature, and I didn't find any redeeming qualities in him. I flat out didn't like him, and I didn't want him with Olivia. He was mad she wouldn't tell him the truth about everything, all the while keeping his true intentions from her, even when he started banging her. His whole personality was gross, and I really just wanted him to go away.
For a romance novel, the romance was severely lacking. Olivia met Draven once, said all of 5ish words to him, and immediately began obsessing over him. Cue instalust trope, which is a trope I HATE especially when mixed with the single mom trope. Then they go on one date, both of them with ulterior motives, and somehow end up spilling all their secrets, minus one thing from Draven, and then fall in to bed together. And suddenly, they can't live without the other? They're in love? When they've literally spent a week or two just banging. We're told not shown that they spend every evening together WITH HER SON.
AND THEN HE BETRAYS HER. Because, of course, his revenge is more important than the entire town. They all forgave him WAY too quickly. He goes "I'm so sorry. I love you." And POOF. All is fixed. I know this book has magic, but that was the most unbelievable part.
All the characters seemed overly childish. Sometimes I couldn't tell if Jill was a teenager or a woman in her late 20s. The way Jill and sometimes Parker pushed Olivia at Draven seemed like middle school antics that are not cute on grown adults.
I could go on and on about the things in this book that didn't work, but I'm gonna stop here. I wanted a cute witchy read and got a toad instead.
2/5 stars.
I DNFed this story. Pretty far in too. I wanted to like it and on paper it wasn't terrible but I despised the narrator. I mean DESPISED THE NARRATOR. I had a few issues with the story itself as well, things I could normally overlook but when you combined with the listening experience it was all too much for me.
Magic in the Air is a witchy romance that’s perfect for fall reading.
This story is dual POV, and incorporates disabilities in a thoughtful way that is a great component of the FMC’s character development.
The magical elements of this story are whimsical and fun, while being grounded in the real world. I loved how the different elements unfolded to play into the plot of the story without revealing all the surprises all at once.
I listened to the audiobook version of this story that was done well by a single narrator. I listened at 2x speed (my normal audiobook listening speed is 1.75-2x speed).
Thank you NetGalley, Rising Action Publishing, and Dreamscape Media for this advanced Audiobook copy.
3.5* Really good book. Great premise and good presentation. The spice was a little too much and a bit overdone for my taste.
**I received an advanced listening copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
This book is perfect for readers who enjoy an extra-spicy romance with a bit of magic in a Fall setting. Olivia lives in a small town that prevents anyone who does not know about the town or who does not have access to magic from visiting the town. This makes things complicated when the stranger Draven comes into town to write a book. Despite instant attraction, Olivia struggles with the reasons behind Draven showing up to town and if his visit brings danger to everyone.
I appreciate that Olivia is a diverse main character--a Latina who lives with cerebral palsy. As the novel progresses, the reader sees how these elements impact her life. There are echoes of loss in the novel as well, with both Olivia and Draven experiencing difficult childhood situations and the loss of trust with loved ones. Despite this, I never warmed to Draven, and as he gradually explains his reasons for his appearance in town, I never quite grasped his sincerity. Trigger warnings for domination during romance.
The voice narration by Gonzalez somewhat detracts from my reading of the book, and it makes me think I am not necessarily the target audience for the audio. Throughout the story, extra emphasis and enthusiastic inflections are presented in sentences, and I found that a little distracting from the narrative. Other than this observation, the characters have their own unique voice, so I could easily tell who was speaking during this.
A quick read just in time for the spooky season. #MagicInTheAir #NetGalley
A cute Latine Witchy book. I liked a lot of the cute elements in this. The magic system in a small town. How protective they all are when someone they don't know comes in. Their connection was instant and they were overall so cute. I loved the bits and pieces of the Latine culture, and the community aspect (something that I always loved).
I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
**Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Team for an ARC of this audiobook. **
This was an easy, light witchy fall read that takes place in a small town in Rhode Island. The FMC is a single mom, witch, who has a disability that I had never read before and really enjoyed the representation. However, the MMC was just disgusting, vile, and needed a reality check. He really bothered me in the book. I loved the small town feel and how the mother-son bond was shared and highlighted, but was a bit shocked with the insta-love and the amount of sexual content.
If you need a witchy romance for the spooky season and something with not much meat to it this might just fill that void for you!
I DNF'd at 73.8% but I am still going to review bc one of the main reasons I dnf'd was because the word "clean" was used to describe not having an STD. Since this is a book with disability representation, I expected better. That was infuriating to listen to and immediately tarnished the rep for me. To diminish a person's worth based off a disease in a book with a disabled MC is sad. Be better. I'm sure no one with a disability would want to feel dirty about themselves because of it. So, why did you make it so for someone who has a disease?
Thank you for the ALC Netgalley and Dreamscape Media.
I like the idea of this paranormal romance. It's a good, solid storyline, but I really didn't like any of the characters. I thought they were shallow and not well developed. I didn't feel the chemistry between Draven and Olivia, and I thought the spicy scenes were cheesy and elementary.
3.5 stars rounded up
This book was a lot of fun. It is a cozy witchy read that will put you in the Halloween spirit. This book is a lot like Once Upon a Time where this magical town is off the grid and has spells surrounding it so people can't just accidentally stumble on the town unless they already know it is there. That is until a mysterious man that is claiming to be a writer arrives in the town.
I love the Cerebral Palsy rep in this book! Olivia is Mexican but lived a majority of her life not knowing it after she was put in the foster system (She was surrendered by her birth parents due do her disability). She is also raising a Mexican son and I love that she decided to raise him with as much of the Mexican culture and teachings since she didn't receive that. All of the representation in this book was done so well and I loved that aspect of this story.
This is a cozy insta-lust book that revolves around a miscommunication between Olivia and the MMC Draven. I wish there would have been a little more groveling after the way things started in this book, but Olivia is very forgiving very quickly. This book is also heavier on the spice than I was expecting, and it wasn't my favorite spice I've read.
Overall I enjoyed this book as a quick easy read/pallet cleanser book. I did receive an ALC through NetGalley and the narrator wasn't my favorite, so if you are planning on picking this book up, I do recommend reading with your eyes rather than your ears if you are able to. The narration didn't ruin the story for me, but I wasn't a fan.
I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This book started super corny, and I ended up not finishing it.
🎧Magic in the Air-standalone
✍🏾By: Adriana Schub-new to me author
🗣️Narrator: Stacy Gonzalez voices all characters. The narrator's voice fit the characters with standouts from Olivia, Daniel, and Draven. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along with the E-book and audiobook.
📔Page Count: 253 e-book
🏃🏾♀️➡️Run Time: 7:59
📅Publication Date: 9-17-24 | Read: 9-15-24
🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Rising Action Publishing, and Dreamscape Media for this ARC and ALC 💜! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions expressed are my own.
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Contemporary Romance, Adult Fic, Multicultural Interests
🌎Setting: Addersfield, RI
Tropes:
🧙🏽♀️witches/magic
🧙🏽♀️baker h/journalist H
🧙🏽♀️single mother h
🧙🏽♀️Halloween/Fall vibes
🧙🏽♀️small town romance
🧙🏽♀️disability rep-h has cerebral palsy
🧙🏽♀️reading mother's journals-H
🧙🏽♀️found family/family drama
⚠️TW: grief, death of parent-H, cancer mentioned, parental abandonment-H and h, h is foster child, explicit sex scenes
POV: dual, 3rd person
🤔Summary: Olivia has a son she adores, a bakery business with her BFF yet no one to share it with. As a witch she casts a protection spell to make the town invisible so that you must know someone who lived there. Draven is able to find the town because his mother lived there as a witch herself. He is grieving her loss and wants to learn how she lost her magic, and why his father abandoned them. Draven and Olivia are distrustful of each other when they first meet, but their walls come down and they fall in love.
♀️ Heroine: Olivia "Liv" Ayala-has disability, an orphan, owns Sugar Spells Bakery, and is a Latina witch with trust and self-esteem issues.
♂️Hero: Draven James (30)- journalist from New York, mother deceased 6 months ago who left a journal about being a witch, losing her magic, and his father Eric leaving. Draven is writing an expose on his family's history.
🎭Side cast:
Jill-oldest friend, co owns the bakery with Liv
Daniel-Olivia's son,9 years old
Lucas-Draven's younger brother
Parker-Mexican American like Liv, owns the town inn, friends w/ Liv and Jill
Malcolm-Jill's husband
💭My Thoughts: I loved the small-town cozy vibe in RI. Even though Draven and Olivia distrust each other, the more time they spend together they grow closer. Olivia never made her disability an issue and Draven really wanted to understand it. Daniel was so sweet, and Olivia always protected him. The found family with Lucas, Jill, Parker, Rosa, and Malcolm brought Olivia and Draven closer and I hope we can get another book featuring Lucas and Parker.
Range of emotions:
🔥 Spice 4/5
🗣️ Narration 4/5
❤️ Emotion 4/5
🧑🤝🧑Couple 4/5
️️ ✨Rating 4 /5
Olivia runs a witchy bakery in a secret witchy town. Draven is new in town and has no idea that the town in a secret. There is an undeniable spark between them, but can it survive the secrets of the town and themselves?!
This one was full of drama, suspense, and a touch of spice. The audio narration was fantastic, well capturing the drama of this magical little place and all it's many characters.
Did not finish at 50%
Narration performance was great and not my reason for not finishing.
Story had major pacing issues and I felt like it went from strangers to "I can't live without you" instantly when they hadn't spent any time together.
The narrator was amazing and did the story and its characters justice. ❤️
The diversity representation was great and something l appreciate in my readings. The main character is a single mum who is a magical witch and a baker. Olivia and her friends are charged with preserving the magical foundations of the town and ensure no one or thing jeapoardises the safety of the time.
Then in walks Draven. 🔥The handsome new stranger. l loved how accepting and loving Draven is with Oliva and the town. As the story unfolded it became more predictable to guess but that is what makes it a fantastic read, it is relaxing and dependable.
l finished the book so quickly and cannot wait to hear the next book in the series. 😊💯
Olivia is a single mom and bakery owner. Who also happens to be a witch with cerebral palsy. Olivia is just minding her own business and in walks Draven. He’s charming, funny, attractive. He has her hooked and under his spell. (But omg I couldn’t stand him). Will there be magic in the air?
Thank you to Net Galley, Dreamscape Media, and Adrianna Schuh for the ARC! Pub date 9/17/24. This was an easy audiobook to listen to during spooky season!
There is definitely magic in the air in the town of Addersfield where Olivia and other witches are free to use their witchy powers in a safe location, away from prying eyes. On a quest to find out more about his family Draven James shows up in the quaint little town much to everyones surprise. Olivia is wary of the newcomer at first and what it could mean for the town's safety but before long Draven's charm starts to win her over. There are many secrets holding up this budding romance, will they be able to overcome the odds and stay together?
I liked the vibe of this book, it was cozy fall and witchy, perfect for a crispy autumn day. Olivia's character was nice but sometimes she seemed a little to back and forth in her opinions. I think that there were just so many secrets between the two main characters for too much of the book to really have them build a trusting relationship. This said I think how the problems were resolved helped me believe the story more it felt like they were a real couple. I always say that the side characters and support cast can make or break a story and the characters in this book definitely made the story for me. Just the camaraderie and love between Olivia and all the other members of the town was so nice and heartwarming. I also love when another couple is set up for a sequel, it makes me very happy and excited for more of the town and vibes of the book.
In my opinion the narrator of this audiobook wasn't my favorite but I tend to listen to a lot of english and irish audiobook readers so it was also just different to hear a book in an american accent. I think I would have enjoyed the story more with a different narrator.
All in all it was a good light read for fall and I enjoyed listening to it.