Enemies to Lovers | Review: The Crimson Moth / Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli

I’m not usually a fantasy reader, but I’ve been giving the genre a try after enjoying Divine Rivals and What the River Knows. In September, our book club decided to read Kristen Ciccarelli’s Heartless Hunter, which also goes by The Crimson Moth. It’s a fantasy romance duology inspired by The Scarlet Pimpernel, about a witch and a witch hunter that makes for a captivating read. 

Rune Winters has been secretly helping witches like her escape capture and persecution ever since the New Republic ended the Reign of Witches. She evades suspicion while putting on a facade as a socialite, while hiding her true identity as a vigilante known as the Crimson Moth. After an attempted rescue goes wrong, she catches the attention of notorious witch hunter, Gideon Sharpe. He suspects Rune to be the Moth, while at the same time, she needs information from him to rescue a powerful witch. In their attempts to thwart the other, the two pretend to be courting. The closer they get however, the more it entangles them in a dangerous game that will put their loyalties into question and their hearts on the line.

This is how you do enemies to lovers. For a book that is considered YA, it is steaming with tension, both in romance and plot, with an ending that has me anxiously waiting for the next book. Rune and Gideon really are enemies and their motives for what they do are valid the more we get to know them. And yet, their undeniable attraction and the genuine connection that forms are what makes their relationship simmer until it boils over.

The writing is good as is the world building. There are grand balls, spells cast, surprising character reveals, and life threatening incidents that raise the stakes. The only part I got confused by is why there was a revolt against the witches before the start of the book. It begins to make sense as information is revealed, but I wish Ciccarelli delved into it some more. 

Right now, this is my favorite romantasy. It’s a fast paced read that is well balanced between story and the enemies to lovers romance. And look at how gorgeous this edition is from Fairyloot. I’m obsessed!

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In Honor of Saint Agnes | Review: Sugar, Baby by Celine Saintclare

As the year begins to wind down, I’ve been looking back at some of the books I’ve read. This debut novel by Celine Saintclare was different from what I usually read, but left an impression that has made me curious to see what she writes next.

Sugar, Baby follows Agnes, a twenty-one year old cleaner working alongside her very religious mother and living in what she calls “The Wasteland” just outside of London. When she meets Emily, the daughter of one of her wealthy employers, Agnes is introduced to the world of “sugaring.” Although the lifestyle offers her more money than she’s ever had and the affection she craves, it also begins to make her question what exactly it is she wants out of life.

I picked up this book after first seeing it on Aardvark Book Club, and it’s a pretty good read that I almost read in one sitting. Despite what the title may suggest, it is more about identity, touching on race, privilege, and religion, and about finding yourself in your twenties. The premise however is there, and is a central part of the character’s journey. 

What I like most is how Celine Saintclare does not turn this into a cautionary or purely salacious tale. Instead, she looks at all facets of Agnes’s new lifestyle and how it affects her — the luxuries she gets to experience for the first time, her relationship with her friends and family, the situations she gets herself into, but all as she tries to figure out her life. The connection to religion as well, especially her namesake Saint Agnes, is an interesting note that aligns with some of the themes and what Agnes goes through. The ending left me wanting to know more, but actually works in giving some closure to where this part of her life ends and where she may go from there.

If you’re looking to read something different that is messy, complex, and falls into the genre of navigating your twenties, Sugar, Baby is worth checking out.

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Must be the Season of the Witch

“I loved being a witch.”

Maybe it’s all those years of watching Sabrina: The Teenage Witch, Halloweentown, Practical Magic, and now Agatha All Along, but if it’s got all them witches, then I have to read it. 

These are just a couple of bewitching books I’ve read and been enchanted by, and some I still need to read soon.

Read and Recommend 🌙 🍂

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

The Crimson Moth / Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli

*Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

*The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

On the TBR 🧙‍♀️🐈‍⬛

An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson

The Monstrous Misses Mai by Van Hoang

*The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland

*Weyward by Emilia Hart

*The Bell Witches by Lindsey Kelk

(*not pictured)

What are you reading this fall? Also, if you've watched Agatha All Along, let’s discuss! 

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Saddle Up | The Chestnut Springs Series by Elsie Silver

The other day, I finally finished reading Elsie Silver’s Chestnut Springs series and I AM OBSESSED! These books were so fun to read back to back this month that I wish I had read them sooner after I finished the first book earlier this year. Who would have thought I would be into cowboy romances?  

My Chestnut Springs Ranking: 

1. Reckless 

2. Heartless 

3. Hopeless 

4. Flawless 

5. Powerless 

All the books are great in their own way, but my favorite has to be Reckless. Everyone was right when they said it’s the best one in the series (“Te vivo”). Heartless and Hopeless are also in my top 3 for the story and chemistry. I like Flawless and Powerless too, with Flawless being a good introduction to the series and the characters.

FLAWLESS

This is a great introduction to the series beginning with bull rider, Rhett Eaton, and his boss’s daughter, Summer Hamilton. It started off a little slow for me before it gets going, but nonetheless I enjoyed getting to know the characters and the ones that appear in the next books.

HEARTLESS

Cade Eaton. That’s it, that’s the review. No but seriously, I can see why so many people love this book. I went into it a little apprehensive because I was worried I might not like Willa, but ended up adoring her. She’s so honestly funny and down to earth, and her chemistry with Cade and his son, Luke, are what made this book special. Sometimes single dad romances are a hit or miss for me, and here it's definitely a hit. The story also gradually builds and takes its time to breathe before major events happen. 

POWERLESS

This takes a different route in comparison to the first two as it follows hockey player and honorary Eaton brother, Jasper Gervais, and childhood friend, Sloan Winthrop, who is a cousin of the Eatons. Their story feels a little out of place for me in the series, however, I do like how Jasper and Sloane go on a road trip together through the Canadian Rocky Mountains as they contend with their pent up feelings for each other. There is also a nice epilogue for Eaton patriarch, Harvey.

RECKLESS

Everyone was right - this is the best one of the series! Bull rider Theo Silva stole my heart just as much as he did Winter Hamilton’s. This was actually the first book I read with a surprise pregnancy trope, which I didn’t expect this to have, and it's handled so well. I like how Theo and Winter start off on the wrong foot but with an attraction that leads into an unforgettable night. It's then followed by a small time jump that has them picking up where they left off. The character development and well-rounded story also add on to why this is my favorite of the series. Te vivo! 

HOPELESS

Just when I thought it couldn’t get better after Reckless, in comes Beau Eaton’s own romance. Beau was the brother that I was the most curious about throughout the series, but worried what his story would be after his appearance in Reckless. Here, a sensitive side to him is shown as he decides to help bartender and town outcast, Bailey Jansen, by pretending they are engaged. They are both outsiders in their own way and there’s a deeper kind of love that’s shown rather than said. The story is more centered on them with less cameos from the Eatons, which I think works, along with the epilogue, in concluding the series.

Have you read the Chestnut Springs series? Do you have a favorite?

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Strangers at a Wedding | Review: The Wedding People by Alison Espach

I think I’ve been reading less compared to last year, but in return I’ve discovered a lot of great books that have become new favorites. The Wedding People by Alison Espach is one of them. 

Phoebe Stone is a professor who has run off to the Cornwall Inn in Newport, Rhode Island. Her husband has left her and she’s decided to have one last getaway before ending it all. When she arrives however, she finds herself in the middle of a weeklong wedding celebration. She ends up forming an unexpected friendship with the bride Lila, while also getting to know the other people in attendance. As the week carries out, Phoebe begins to have a new outlook on life, rediscovering parts of herself that she never knew existed, but might have always been there.

I know I have been saying this a lot, but I really love this book. It’s humorously honest and introspective featuring a cast of characters that could exist in real life. I was hesitant to pick it up at first because I worried that it might be too dark, but it ended up pleasantly surprising me as I found myself laughing and relating to much of what Phoebe and Lila were going through. Once I neared the end, I wanted to go back and read it again.

I love Phoebe and Lila’s relationship throughout, especially the conversations they have. I think the fact that they are strangers, with or without judgment, is what made them want to confide in each other rather than go to the people who know them. Lila is young and entitled, but I could see there is a loneliness to her that Phoebe connects with or at least understands. For Phoebe as well, Lila bolting into her life throws her in for a loop, but also brings her back to life (quite literally too). They make an impact on each other’s lives more than they realize.

Then, there’s Phoebe and Gary. I don’t want to spoil too much on what happens between them because it’s some of the best parts of the book that align with its themes. I’m already smiling just thinking about that “Free the books” scene. 

This is a 10/10, 5 star read for me. It’s everything all at once about life and chance encounters and how much that can change or affect us.

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Main Character Energy | Review: Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb

Dawson’s Creek was one of my favorite shows as a tween (Team Pacey always), as well as the movie Pleasantville. So, when I found out that Kate Robb’s Prime Time Romance is a fun combination of both, I just had to read it. 

Brynn Smothers is recently divorced and still reeling from the end of her marriage. Her source of escape is her favorite show Carson’s Cove, a teen drama with a will-they-or-won’t-they romance that never got resolved due to the show’s abrupt cancellation. Meanwhile, her roommate and local bartender, Josh Bishop, is dealing with his own regret over the sale of his father’s bar he once ran. 

After Brynn makes a wish on a mysterious birthday cake she receives, she and Josh are transported into the world of Carson’s Cove. However, they are not there as themselves, but as the characters from the show: Brynn as girl next door Sloan and Josh as town bad boy Fletch. It’s up to them to finally give the series the happy ending it deserves and maybe find their own in the process.

I came into this book with a few expectations, but by the end had a great time reading it. I love all the Easter eggs to various TV shows, Dawson’s Creek especially, and how Kate Robb plays around with the soapy teen drama tropes while still paying homage to it. Beneath the fun, I also like the deeper themes regarding Brynn and Josh that relate back to the idea of rewatching a favorite series. 

Brynn sees Carson’s Cove as her comfort show because after each episode’s dilemma, it all turns out alright in the end. She wants that for herself too, but may have stopped believing in it since her divorce. As Sloan, she begins to see that just as these characters find a way forward, so can she. The same goes for Josh while being Fletch. As he runs Fletch’s bar, he starts to reconcile with his own self-doubts. 

The romance could have been built up more as there is something missing before it gets there. I will say though that I really like their chemistry. It’s like what Joey Potter said on Dawson’s Creek: “You got to learn to read between the banter.” 

Thank you so much NetGalley and The Dial Press for the ARC!

Pub Date: September 3, 2024 - Out now

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A Summer Place | Review: This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune

If I had to pick a book that encapsulated my summer, it would be This Summer Will Be Different. It’s a book I fittingly read while visiting Prince Edward Island, where the book is set, and it’s a book that brought me to joining my first book club. It’s also the first book I read by Carley Fortune that now makes me want to go back and read her backlist.

Lucy and Felix met summers ago on Prince Edward Island. Their first meeting was ignited by an attraction and inexplicable draw that leads into an unforgettable night. That all changes however, when they learn the next morning that Felix is the brother of Lucy’s best friend, Bridget, and that Lucy swore to never fall in love with him. In the summers that pass, Lucy and Felix try to control their feelings for one another for Bridget’s sake and their own hearts as well. Yet, each summer as all three of them grow and change as they get older, it becomes harder to deny what has always been there.

I love everything about this book. It has a dreamy summer vibe to it with Anne of Green Gables undertones. It’s a romance, but it’s also about friendship and life’s bittersweet moments. The flashbacks juxtaposed with the present add on to this nostalgia, while also showing Lucy and Felix’s relationship grow and progress. Their relationship may have started hot and fast, but what is revealed overtime is a vulnerability that the two share and an openness that feels like coming home. It makes the ending even more rewarding because of what they must do before they could be together than just each other’s escape.

Lucy’s friendship with Bridget meanwhile is held dearly with love. While my Capricorn side found it a little too close for comfort at times, I still got it. They are more than just tight knit friends - they’re bonded for life. It’s hard to explain, but when you read it you’ll see it.

I can’t say enough how much Carley Fortune perfectly captures PEI. I have a whole post on Instagram of the places she mentions that I got to visit. If you ever considered visiting PEI, especially after reading this book - you absolutely must! 

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