To know me is to know I’m a Sarah Hogle fan and will read anything she writes. I love her writing and “the folklore of forever” was no exception. It was cute and charming and quirky. So fun

The Folklore of Forever is going to resonate with so many readers who may feel othered, or misunderstood, or safer in their own imagination rather than reality. There's a learning curve to Zelda and Morgan though, so I need y'all to bring your patient vibes to the function and trust Hogle's process.

The vibes you get in return are Neverland meets Wonderland. Where the first Moonville book featured the subtle constant magic of life, "The Folklore of Forever" is immersive, unflinching, dares you to look at the inconceivable and dismiss it as your imagination. It's bonkers adventures that leaves no room for interpretation - magic is real.

Zelda has always considered herself othered within the Tempest family. Shes not the eldest with expectations, or the baby thats is loved on; shes the quiet one that no one takes the time to connect with. Add to that she's the only one without the touch of magic. But after years away, she's home and finds the magical town, and the woods surrounding, believes in her even if she doesn't return the favor.

Okay now Morgan's turn. Morgan is perfectly placed to be Zelda's opposite. That is, she is of the magic but a cynic, and he's desperate for that life but can only live tangentially. Morgan could concoct a magical scenario and Zelda will counter it with a logical explanation. He's 80s synth pop and shes a gothic pipe organ dirge. He is the Napoleon Dynamite to Zelda's Wednesday Addams. He is neither a morally grey shadow daddy nor a golden retriver cinnamon roll. He is a neurodivergent peacock. I happen to love him very much.

A quick note, there is a major pass/fail sorta moment for him very early. Even I had my neck snapping like "what did this man just say!?!" But I'd like to again reference the patience y'all are gonna need. They can't be perfect from the beginning or there is no drama. You'll be fine.

I really hope the general public is ready for Zelda, and, especially, Morgan. For honest, I almost wasn't either. But the heart and humor of Hogle's work always wins me over. Her nerds had me in tears by the end of the book - both from feels and laughing so hard. Truely brilliant to build such a relatable journey in the most bonkers of adventures. Highly recommend the experience.

Thank you Netgalley & Penguin Random House / Putnam Books for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Zelda is an author who moved home after experiencing major writer's block upon finishing publishing her first book series. During a town auction Morgan, the charming hometown man next door, buys a date with Zelda. This date consists of taking her to a house that is presumed to be haunted, however, during their date Zelda learns he is only interested in her because he believes her to be a witch like her sisters say they are. Zelda is adamantly against the existence of magic and is even more against being used by Morgan to gain magical powers by making her fall in love with him. Unwillingly, Zelda gets roped into his ghosthunting, magic-searching schemes when she starts seeing strange animals she had seen around town during childhood. Curious about what other secrets the town might hold, Morgan and Zelda team up, and may stumble upon a whole lot more than they planned.

The Folklore of Forever by Sarah Hogle is adorably enthralling and enchantingly addicting. Between the witty banter and odd pairing that Morgan and Zelda made, I could not put this book down. If you are a fan of a witchy, cozy, magical romance, this book is perfect for you!

This book was fun! It was just what I needed right now. Light, hilarious, romantic, and chaotic in the very best way. A perfect cozy fantastical escape.

Enemies to lovers, witches, and a ghost hunt all in one read? You’ve got me hooked before I open the book! I loved this fun adventure complete with boy next door romance vibes!

A magical delight! The Folklore of Forever takes us back to Moonville as magic-skeptic main character Zelda seeks to discover her writer’s voice and place in magic.

(ARC via Net Galley)

Goodreads review

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book.
The Folklore of Forever by Sarah Hogle is a book that left me feeling torn. There are aspects I really enjoyed, and others that had me frustrated, but ultimately, it was a journey of rediscovery that kept me hooked—just not in the way I expected.
Zelda, the main female character, is a gothy loner who thrives on solitude. She's the happiest lost in her own world, reading in the woods or quietly observing the life around her. However, somewhere along the way, Zelda has stopped trusting her instincts, and the story revolves around her journey to reclaim that inner magic. It’s a satisfying arc, one that blends self-discovery with a touch of whimsical fantasy, and I found myself rooting for her growth. I particularly loved seeing her embrace the parts of herself she had abandoned, even if the journey felt a little uneven at times.
However, the central relationship between Zelda and Morgan is where the book faltered for me. Morgan, the eccentric love interest, comes across as insincere and somewhat elusive, which makes it difficult to invest in their connection. For much of the book, the romance is built on such unsteady footing that I found myself questioning whether they were a good match. It’s hard to root for a couple when you’re not sure if their bond is genuine or merely a plot device.
Additionally, while I enjoyed Zelda’s personal journey, I felt that some of the world-building and plot details could have been clearer or condensed. There were moments when I felt a bit lost in the narrative, unsure of the larger picture. Some sections dragged, and I wished for a more concise exploration of Zelda’s magic and the folklore that shaped her world.
In conclusion, The Folklore of Forever has its strengths, particularly in Zelda’s character development, but it struggles with pacing and the romantic tension at the heart of the story. If you enjoy tales of self-discovery and a touch of quirky magic, this book might still be worth the read but just be prepared for a few bumps along the way.

A whimsical paranormal romance that wasn’t what I expected … although that’s not completely a bad thing. I appreciate the creativity and depth of the magic system in this book, however I found myself fumbling for understanding one too many times. I think (?) this is supposed to be an interconnected stand alone series and i admittedly haven’t read the first book. But, I felt like I was dropped in the middle of a true series when I started this book, like I was missing chunks of info and I don’t believe that’s how a stand alone series should be.

The main characters were a bit all over the place and although they were fleshed out a bit more by the end, I still didn’t find them as loveable as I hope characters I’m supposed to be rooting for should be. Overall, the story was fun but, there was a missing element of seriousness for me that would have made it all feel more rounded out.

Thank you NetGalley and G.P Putnam’s Sons for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this book! I related so much with the main character and her quirky personality. The banter and back and forth was so funny and helped me fly through the book in a day! I hope that there is a sequel in the works because I can’t wait to dive into more with Zelda and Morgan!

Like other readers, I was conflicted about this book. There were things I loved about it, even more than the first book in the series, and things that frustrated me.

I adored Zelda and related to her so much more than I did with Romina. Zelda’s a gothy loner and prefer to keep to herself. She’d rather be reading in the woods than dealing with people. She gets caught up in her own worlds. And somewhere along the way, she’s stopped trusting her instincts.

Morgan. Ugh. I liked him well enough in the first book, where he came off as eccentric but otherwise harmless. Here, he is like Trevor 2.0, but worse. Great for a side character, not for a love interest. It’s not that he’s awful, it’s just that he lacks sincerity, which makes him hard to take seriously.

This brings us to the romantic element of the book, which fell flat, especially in comparison to the first book. If you are looking for another Alex King, you will not find him here. Instead, the majority of the book places the central relationship on such unsteady footing that it’s hard to root for Zelda and Morgan as a couple. He does something fairly awful, early in the story, and does too little to make up for it or make his actual intentions clear.

Thankfully, what this book lacks in romance, it makes up for in magic. While the magic in the first book was subtle, it’s a much larger part of this story. This book is truly about Zelda rediscovering her magic. And I enjoyed her journey, for the most part, but also felt some of the information could have been made clearer or condensed.

Ending on a good note: Sarah Hogle remains incredibly adept at painting word pictures. There are so many times I laughed, or sighed, or could completely picture a character doing or saying something. And so many pretty turns of phrase!

I’m giving this four stars because I really did enjoy it, even if I wish some parts had been handled differently. I think I’d rather have strong feelings about a book I like than come away bored or indifferent. Looking forward to the next book in this series.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the advanced reader copy of this book, provided in exchange for honest and unbiased opinion.

Great spooky season vibes but underwhelming execution. Zelda, struggling with writer’s block, teams up with her neighbor in the hopes that ghost hunting will spark some creativity. Zelda was a fine FMC, not overly lovable but not bad either. Unfortunately the MMC, Morgan, is inconsistent and pretty unlikable. I struggled to feel invested in their romance and had to push myself to continue reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC provided in exchange for my honest review.

Sarah Hogle is a "read even if you think you're not going to like it" author. She has busted open a lot of my least liked tropes--she has no parallel in the current romance writing scene. I didn't think I liked Zelda and Morgan at first, but then I loved them, which makes sense--Hogle strikes again (in the best way).

I’m so sad to rate this book so low, because I love Sarah Hogle, but this was a DNF for me at 40%.
It was just all over the place. The MMC was so immature I was having a hard time not thinking of him as a high schooler, and he was genuinely not likeable. I enjoy fantasy and magical realism but this book was just straight up nutty and the magical elements were too much. It was so unrealistic and filled with just weird people and weird things happening, with no sense of plot or even an idea of where the story was going. I almost always push through and finish a book, but I could not with this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I freaking love Old Flames and New Fortunes so I immediately started this the second I got approved for it because I loved the sisters so much and was so interested by Zelda. I read an early arc of OFANF before Sarah changed/added more about Morgan so I was slightly confused reading this book and seeing Morgan described totally different from how I pictured him. This is also definitely more women's fiction than it was romance, unlike OFANF, but by the end of the book, I was totally shipping them together. I think I just struggled a bit to wrap my head around Zelda's magic; I couldn't tell what was whimsy and what was supposed to be light fun.

It was fine. I felt bad for the FMC, it seemed like all of the characters were just being extremely rude to them. including the MMC. the MMC was also manipulative and just seemed to carry that through the entire story. I kind of started to skin the book about half way through. I wanted to like this book, but just could not get into it.

This book is simultaneously a lament of writer’s block and a love letter to literature. Threaded through these themes is Zelda's story as she learns to embrace the magic around and within her, and to accept that what she always thought she wanted isn’t what she needed.

I loved Zelda and Morgan. They’re both so weird and I think on the spectrum. They’re delightful as they clash and also fit together better than anyone else could. I did find their romance a bit non-linear but I didn’t mind at all. They make sense to me even if I wish we’d had more of a transition with Morgan beginning to really see and appreciate Zelda.

That said, I did have some pacing issues and questions. Some of the magic left me with far more questions than answers, which (as a person who is like Zelda and needs to Know) can be a little frustrating. Overall though, I found this to be a lovely second book in the series which resonated more deeply with me than the first (though all my love to Romina and Alex). The ways the two books so far have been so completely different is a huge credit to Hogle’s writing abilities.

Thank you to NetGalley, GP Putnam’s Sons and of course Sarah Hogle herself for this lovely read.

Y’all, I don’t know how to write this review.
I loved the first book in the Moonville series, so I was super excited when I was approved of the ARC for the second book. The three sisters and their enchanted background and store was alluring and they each have their own unique quirks that you just want to find out more. Zelda beats to her own drum and I really did not understand her journey to forest to find her true self.
Honestly it felt like watching Frozen 2, when you’re trying to understand the backstory of the enchanting forest and then the water horse suddenly becomes Elsa’s best friend and you’re just hoping that the plot takes a turn for the best so your kids don’t throw a tantrum. I don’t know man, I don’t know. The first part of the book was a dealing with Zelda trying to find spells and then she travels to the forest and I really don’t understand that part after reading it really slowly. The shape shift animals and deciphering what’s real and what’s not was hard for me to follow. Also I was not rooting for a Zelda’s boo. He was all over the place and was just really immature.
Will I still show up for Moonville book #3? You bet, Luna is my girl and she deserves to have her story told! Just this one fell flat for me.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

DNF at 41% I just can't get into this book 😭 It's very tonally different from the previous book, there's almost no romance? The book is mostly just people (including the MMC) putting down the FMC. The MMC is straight up manipulative in why he wants to date her which he admits to btw on their first date, and he continues being manipulative in all their following interactions, I don't think I'll be able to get behind their romance :P

-- advanced copy from Netgalley

I wanted to like this book because I enjoyed the previous one in this series. But I couldn’t get into the main couple of this book at all.

The Folklore of Forever is the second book with the lovely Tempest sisters, witches living in Moonville. This story follows Zelda, the sister finally returning home who doesn’t believe in magic, and Morgan, who is determined to prove magic exists and gain some for himself. They are total opposites and frequently get on the other’s nerves, but end up making a hilarious team!
I loved Zelda from the start and can relate to her obsession with all books. She balances her sisters and Morgan so well, while slowly leaning in to her mystical side. The banter between all of the characters is top-tier, but Zelda and Morgan had me actually laughing out loud! Their relationship progressed at just the right pace (I love a slow-burn 😍) and it was nice seeing them accept the other without either having to change their ways.
One of my favorite parts of this book was the snippets from the Tempest Family Grimoire in each chapter! This book is full of magic and each tiny detail made me want more!
Moonville is brimming with charm and the prefect setting for this series. Its creatures were so quirky and adorable (just like its residents) and the forest explored by Zelda and Morgan was enchanting.
As a lover of all things witchy, this series holds such a fond place in my heart and I can’t wait for more….
Next up, Luna’s story!!!
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.