Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche (Enola Holmes #7), By Nancy Springer ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Historical Fiction, Humor, Mystery, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books/Wednesday Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: August 31st, 2021

272 Pages

Synopsis: Enola Holmes is the much younger sister of her more famous brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft. But she has all the wits, skills, and sleuthing inclinations of them both. At fifteen, she’s an independent young woman–after all, her name spelled backwards reads ‘alone’–and living on her own in London. When a young professional woman, Miss Letitia Glover, shows up on Sherlock’s doorstep, desperate to learn more about the fate of her twin sister, it is Enola who steps up. It seems her sister, the former Felicity Glover, married the Earl of Dunhench and per a curt note from the Earl, has died. But Letitia Glover is convinced this isn’t the truth, that she’d know–she’d feel–if her twin had died.

The Earl’s note is suspiciously vague and the death certificate is even more dubious, signed it seems by a John H. Watson, M.D. (who denies any knowledge of such). The only way forward is for Enola to go undercover–or so Enola decides at the vehement objection of her brother. And she soon finds out that this is not the first of the Earl’s wives to die suddenly and vaguely–and that the secret to the fate of the missing Felicity is tied to a mysterious black barouche that arrived at the Earl’s home in the middle of the night. To uncover the secrets held tightly within the Earl’s hall, Enola is going to require help–from Sherlock, from the twin sister of the missing woman, and from an old friend, the young Viscount Tewkesbury, Marquess of Basilwether. (Goodreads)

After eleven long years, the indomitable Enola Eudoria Heddassa Holmes returns in Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche, and oh my goodness, what a glorious, spectacular return it is! Whereas in the previous books the feisty younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft was at odds with her brothers, in this go around the fifteen-year-old and Sherlock team up to solve this latest mystery. If you haven’t read the previous six books, never fear, Sherlock’s prologue sums everything up quite succinctly. As for longtime fans of the series, you will be happy to see that Enola continues to grow both as a person and as a detective who, if this series continues, may just wind up outshining her older brothers. While she still is inclined toward getting herself into trouble due to her impulsive nature, she manages to outdo Sherlock more than once, and you can see that future promise there.

Nancy Springer brings 1889 London and Surrey vividly to life with the prose, clothing, settings, and social norms, all which seemed to me quite accurate. There are also some darker, disturbing scenes involving the mental institutions of the period and how easy it was to have women locked up on the most absurd of pretexts. There aren’t many twists to this mystery, but that doesn’t matter because the story and characters are so entertaining. Further livening up the plot are the numerous instances of humor which more than once had me chuckling out loud. The ending sums everything up perfectly and Sherlock’s epilogue leaves the door open for an eighth entry.

While Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche, like the previous books in this series is technically written for tweens and young teens, if you’re an adult who loves rollicking, well-written historical mysteries with strong female characters, witty banter, and fast, entertaining plots, I honestly can’t sing this book’s praises highly enough! While I thoroughly enjoyed the Netflix adaptation of Enola Holmes, and I’m looking forward to the sequel, I hope Springer’s upcoming book heralds a continuation of this brilliant series.

The Monarchs (The Ravens #2), By Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Mystery, Romance, Supernatural Fiction, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and HMH Books for Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 11th, 2022

448 Pages

Synopsis: In this thrilling conclusion to New York Times best-selling authors Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige’s The Ravens, the sorority witches are tested when a rival threatens to usurp their place on campus and the forces of hell come knocking on their door.

The sorority girls at Kappa Rho Nu—the Ravens—are determined to restore balance to the world. After destroying an ancient talisman and barely saving their sorority in the process, they’ll go to any lengths to keep their secret as Westerly’s most powerful coven of witches.

Scarlett Winter, a legacy Raven, has finally gotten what she’s always wanted: the Kappa Rho Nu presidency. After the disaster that killed the sorority’s last president, Scarlett is determined that no sister will fall under the sway of wicked magic ever again. But the powers of the presidency have their own pitfalls—and Scarlett has big shoes to fill.

Vivi Devereaux, a freshman, finally knows what it feels like to belong. For the first time ever, she’s got it all: her Kappa Rho Nu sisters and a sweet (and hot) boyfriend. When Scarlett assigns Vivi the coveted role of social chair, Vivi is determined to live up to her Big’s expectations—even if that means dabbling in a new form of magic.

Unbeknownst to the Ravens, new rivals and ancient evils lurk on Westerly’s campus. With Kappa Rho Nu’s future on their shoulders and their pasts still haunting them, will Scarlett and Vivi be able to save their sisterhood once again? (Goodreads)

The Monarchs has a couple of minor hiccups, but is an ultimately entertaining and satisfying conclusion to The Ravens duology.

Picking up where The Ravens left off, both Scarlett and Vivi are still dealing with the aftershocks of the shocking betrayal by one of their friends which resulted in two deaths. Adding to the trauma of this are the self-doubts that continue to plague them. Scarlett is desperately trying to live up to her family’s legacy, and Vivi is trying to prove that she is a powerful witch in her own right. Unfortunately, it’s both girls’ insecurities that almost bring down their entire sisterhood.

In The Ravens, it was Scarlett who I initially had trouble connecting with due to her cold and stand-offish personality. In the end that turned out to be a mask she wore in public in order to hide her vulnerability. In this sequel I liked her much more as she struggles to prove herself worthy as the president and protector of Kappa Rho Nu. Her romance with Jackson definitely hits a rough patch due to actions she took at the end of the first book, as well as from circumstances beyond her control, but in the end, while they don’t exactly walk off into the sunset together, there’s a rapprochement between the two of them which leads one to hope that they will stay together.

Vivi, for me, was the biggest disappointment. I loved her in the opening book, but here she just annoyed me terribly as she repeatedly made immature and frankly, idiotic decisions. I tried to have sympathy for her as she was dealing with multiple issues, but by the time I had reached the halfway point, I was ready to wash my hands of her. The romance between her and Mason, while initially strong, winds up fizzling into the background here as Vivi pushes him aside in her quest to prove herself. Thankfully she does redeem herself in the end, but overall she’s the weakest link in the story.

The plot itself does an excellent job at further developing this magical world, and introduces a new although somewhat predictable villain. Once again, there are no easy way outs, and sacrifices have to be made in order to defeat this new evil. The story unfolds at a brisk pace from the very beginning to the conclusion that happily leaves no loose ends.

There’s no doubt in my mind that The Monarchs will please readers who enjoyed The Ravens. It’s definitely not a standalone though, so if you’re interested in reading this, I advise you pick up its predecessor first. Otherwise, after reading and enjoying both books in this duology, I’m hoping this isn’t the last collaboration between Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige as I feel they make a formidable writing team.

 

Bright Ruined Things, By Samantha Cohoe ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Shakespeare Retelling, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: October 26th, 2021

352 Pages

Synopsis: ‘A deftly-plotted tale about ambition and belonging, Bright Ruined Things takes Shakespeare’s The Tempest and brilliantly reimagines its themes of family and love. Cohoe writes with a magic that dazzles and cuts right to the core.’ – Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

Forbidden magic, a family secret, and a night to reveal it all…

The only life Mae has ever known is on the island, living on the charity of the wealthy Prosper family who control the magic on the island and the spirits who inhabit it. Mae longs for magic of her own and to have a place among the Prosper family, where her best friend, Coco, will see her as an equal, and her crush, Miles, will finally see her. Now that she’s eighteen, Mae knows her time with the Prospers may soon come to an end.

But tonight is First Night, when the Prospers and their high-society friends return to the island to celebrate the night Lord Prosper first harnessed the island’s magic and started producing aether – a magical fuel source that has revolutionized the world. With everyone returning to the island, Mae finally has the chance to go after what she’s always wanted.

When the spirits start inexplicably dying, Mae starts to realize that things aren’t what they seem. And Ivo, the reclusive, mysterious heir to the Prosper magic, may hold all the answers – including a secret about Mae’s past that she doesn’t remember. As Mae and her friends begin to unravel the mysteries of the island, and the Prospers’ magic, Mae starts to question the truth of what her world was built on.

In this YA fantasy, Samantha Cohoe wonderfully mixes magic and an atmospheric historical setting into a fantastically immersive world, with characters you won’t be able to forget.

Bright Ruined Things is an imaginative retelling of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, cleverly combined with a page-turning mystery/thriller, that had me on the edge of my seat almost the entire time I was reading. Although it’s set in the 1920s, you don’t really see much of the time period except for one party that could have been taken from The Great Gatsby, so I was slightly disappointed about that. I also didn’t exactly like Mae, but I did find her extremely interesting. She’s flawed and very complicated as are most of the characters, and it was entertaining to find out their backstories and watch how they interact with each other. If you think you’ll know what happens because you’ve read The Tempest, think again, because Cohoe includes plenty of twists in here to keep readers guessing. Bright Ruined Things is a unique, action-packed retelling full of Shakespeare-esque drama, double-dealing, and mysterious intrigue that I believe will hold a wide audience of readers spellbound.

I Am Margaret Moore, By Hannah Capin ~ 2.0 Stars

Tags

LGBTQ, Mystery, Romance, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release: October 12th, 2021

320 Pages

Synopsis: Lyrical and haunting, Hannah Capin’s I Am Margaret Moore is a paranormal thriller that tests the hold of sisterhood and truth.

I am a girl. I am a monster, too.

Each summer the girls of Deck Five come back to Marshall Naval School. They sail on jewel-blue waters; they march on green drill-fields; they earn sunburns and honors. They push until they break apart and heal again, stronger.

Each summer Margaret and Rose and Flor and Nisreen come back to the place where they are girls, safe away from the world: sisters bound by something more than blood.

But this summer everything has changed. Girls are missing and a boy is dead. It’s because of Margaret Moore, the boys say. It’s because of what happened that night in the storm.

Margaret’s friends vanish one by one, swallowed up into the lies she has told about what happened between her and a boy with the world at his feet. Can she unravel the secrets of this summer and last, or will she be pulled under by the place she once called home?

I really enjoyed Hannah Capin’s Foul is Fair, which is a clever modernization of Macbeth, so I was quite excited when I saw I Am Margaret Moore offered on NetGalley. Unfortunately, this didn’t work quite as well for me.

First, this was written in almost a prose style, and while I have liked that form of writing in various books, including in Foul is Fair, here the chapters are short and uneven instead of flowing and lyrical. I also found the symbolism vague and confusing which didn’t help. The multiple timelines were difficult to follow and made me scratch my head even more, and, as much as I tried I found it impossible to connect with any of the characters. None of them had backstories which were developed in any meaningful way, and because of this wound up completely unmemorable. The twist was predictable, but I did like the ending and it wrapped everything up neatly, however that wasn’t enough to save the story for me.

Although I Am Margaret Moore didn’t live up to my expectations, I’ll still give Capin’s next book a try. As always, I’d advise anyone whose intrigued by the premise, to check out other reviewers’ thoughts and not just mine.

The Dead and the Dark, By Courtney Gould ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Coping With Loss and Grief, Homophobia, LGBTQ, Mystery, Small Towns, Supernatural Fiction, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: August 3rd, 2021

352 Pages

Synopsis: Courtney Gould’s thrilling debut, The Dead and the Dark, is about the things that lurk in dark corners, the parts of you that can’t remain hidden, and about finding home in places—and people—you didn’t expect.

Something is wrong in Snakebite, Oregon. Teenagers are disappearing, some turning up dead, the weather isn’t normal, and all fingers point to TV’s most popular ghost hunters who have just returned to town. Logan Ortiz-Woodley, daughter of TV’s  ParaSpectors, has never been to Snakebite before, but the moment she and her dads arrive, she starts to get the feeling that there’s more secrets buried here than they originally let on.

Ashley Barton’s boyfriend was the first teen to go missing, and she’s felt his presence ever since. But now that the Ortiz-Woodleys are in town, his ghost is following her and the only person Ashley can trust is the mysterious Logan. When Ashley and Logan team up to figure out who—or what—is haunting Snakebite, their investigation reveals truths about the town, their families, and themselves, that neither of them are ready for. As the danger intensifies, they realize that their growing feelings for each other could be a light in the darkness. (Goodreads)

The Dead and the Dark is a thoroughly creepy tale that more than lives up to its title. The first few pages immediately captured my attention and wouldn’t let go until I reached the end. This is both a character and plot driven novel, and both are equally well done. In addition to the supernatural and mystery elements is a thoughtful exploration of: homophobia, grief, and loneliness.

While much of the book is indeed very dark, there are some light-hearted moments centered around Logan and her witty snark. She’s the type of character that readers are automatically drawn to like moths to a flame. She hides her vulnerability and insecurity behind a veil of sarcasm that’s completely relatable. She’s intensely loyal to those she cares about, yet is also determined to do the right thing for her. Ashley initially comes off a little flatter, but soon you discover she has quite a bit of hidden depth. The pairing of her with Logan is perfect as they bring out the best in one another.

Equally interesting is the relationship between Logan’s two dads, Alejo and Brandon, and how they went from being strangers despite  growing up in a tiny town, to falling in love and becoming ghost hunters. It’s also compelling how despite them leaving Snakebite, they’re still tied to it for both supernatural and real world reasons.

The mystery element was a tad predictable, but honestly, with all the other positives this book offers, including a fantastic conclusion, that’s a very minor complaint. Overall, The Dead and the Dark is an exciting debut from Courtney Gould that has me looking forward to seeing what her next book will be.

Curse of the Specter Queen, By Jenny Elder Moke ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Celtic Mythology, Historical Fiction, Ireland, Mystery, Romance, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: June 1st, 2021

352 Pages

Synopsis: MAY THE HAZEL BRING YOU WISDOM AND THE ASPEN GUIDE AND PROTECT YOU…

Samantha Knox put away her childhood fantasies of archaeological adventure the day her father didn’t return home from the Great War, retreating to the safety of the antique bookshop where she works. But when a mysterious package arrives with a damaged diary inside, Sam’s peaceful life is obliterated. Ruthless men intent on reclaiming the diary are after Sam, setting her and her best friend, along with her childhood crush, on a high-stakes adventure that lands them in the green hills outside Dublin, Ireland. Here they discover an ancient order with a dark purpose—to perform an occult ritual that will raise the Specter Queen, the Celtic goddess of vengeance and death, to bring about a war unlike any the world has ever seen. To stop them, Sam must solve a deviously complex cipher—one that will lead her on a treasure hunt to discover the ancient relic at the heart of the ritual: a bowl carved from the tree of life. Will she find the bowl and stop the curse of the Specter Queen, or will the ancient order bring about the end of the world?

Indiana Jones gets a refresh with this female-driven mystery adventure, set in the 1920s, full of ciphers, ancient relics, and heart-stopping action—the first in a brand new series! (Goodreads)

As soon as I read the premise for Curse of the Specter Queen I grew giddy with excitement. A female bookseller turned Indiana Jones? Count me in! After finishing this in one sitting I can definitively say it more than delivered.

The only reason why I’m not giving this a perfect 5 stars is because it took most of the book for Sam to find her footing. She dithers about almost everything: her feelings toward her childhood crush, Bennett, her relationship with her former best friend, Joana, her acceptance and confidence in her own abilities. She’s extremely insecure and second guesses herself frequently, and while I appreciated the reasons behind it, it grew a bit wearisome after a while. Slowly through the book though, she blossomed, and by the climax she became a force to be reckoned with. The romance between Sam and Bennett was sweet and slowly developed from friendship to something more. While Bennett’s alpha-male overprotectiveness was annoying at times, I liked that he believed in Sam right from the beginning. Joana, who Sam had become estranged for various reasons, came off as a vapid party girl at first, but showed she had hidden depths. She and Sam played well off each other.

Everything else in this book was spot on perfect. The time period of the Roaring 20s, combined with a thrilling quest to prevent a long thought dead sinister order, from raising a Celtic goddess of death and destruction was vividly brought to life. I could actually see this being played out as a movie in my head while I was reading. The setting of Ireland, land of myth and legend, was a wonderful choice for events to play out. The ending perfectly wrapped everything up, and left me utterly satisfied.

Overall Curse of the Specter Queen, is the epitome of a fun-filled popcorn book. I’ve heard that this is the first book in a planned series, which has me even more excited. I will be very surprised if Hollywood doesn’t scoop this up.

14 Ways to Die, By Vincent Ralph ~ 3.5 Stars

Tags

Death of a parent, Grief, Mystery, Serial Killers, Social Media, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: June 1st, 2021

400 Pages

Synopsis: A page-turning new YA thriller for the social media age, perfect for fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and One of Us Is Lying.

Ten years ago, Jess’s mother was murdered by the Magpie Man.

She was the first of his victims but not his last.

Now Jess is the star of a YouTube reality series and she’s using it to catch the killer once and for all.

The whole world is watching her every move.

And so is the Magpie Man. (Goodreads)

14 Ways To Die is an interesting mystery that’s filled with implausible situations that your rational mind will keep questioning, yet still manages to be a fun read thanks to a creative and fast-paced storyline, and likable characters. Using social media to catch serial killers has become a popular theme, and this gives it an intriguing spin of its own, as well as thoughtfully delving into how people handle grief differently. My biggest issue was that although I usually like shortish chapters, in this book there are 144 of them which added a certain choppiness and in the end made the story a little less gripping. For the most part though, I did enjoy this and I think it will appeal to a wide audience of older teens, especially those who like authors such as Karen McManus, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Maureen Johnson, and Holly Jackson.

Flash Fire (The Extraordinaries #2), By TJ Klune ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Coming-of age, Humor, LGBTQ, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Social Issues, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Teen for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: July 13th, 2021

384 Pages

Synopsis: Flash Fire is the explosive sequel to The Extraordinaries, by USA Today bestselling author TJ Klune!

Nick landed himself the superhero boyfriend of his dreams, but with new heroes arriving in Nova City, it’s up to Nick and his friends to determine who is virtuous and who is villainous. Which is a lot to handle for a guy who just wants to finish his self-insert bakery AU fanfic.

One thing I need to address before starting my review for Flash Fire is the controversy regarding the decided pro-police slant in the previous book, which many readers understandably took issue with. The most glaring example of this was Nick’s father, Aaron, who’s a police detective. He also punches a witness who was provoking him. You would expect him to be fired, but instead, he’s demoted, and by the end of the book he’s not only promoted, but it’s to a higher position. To be fair, The Extraordinaries was written before the murder of George Floyd, however there had already been numerous instances of well-publicized police misconduct and brutality. After many readers expressed their dismay, Klune addressed this in a letter: https://www.tjklunebooks.com/new-blog/2020/7/29/a-message-about-the-extraordinaries

As you can see, it’s a thoughtful message from an author who obviously cares about his fans. I’ll be honest and say I personally didn’t have a huge issue Aaron, because there were extenuating circumstances concerning the altercation in question, but I can understand why others did. The important thing is that Klune not only personally addressed this, but also portrays the police in this sequel, much more realistically, and not just through Nick’s sixteen-year-old hero-worshipping eyes. Just like in real life, there are good cops, and ones who abuse the power that comes with their badge.

As for the rest of the book, it’s filled with the laugh-out-loud humor, embarrassing yet somehow endearing sexual conversations between Nick and Aaron, and witty dialogue that was found in the previous book. Due to the backdrop of the police, as well as Nick’s discovery of a long hidden family secret regarding himself and his deceased mother, the story also takes a more serious tone. Nick continues to struggle with his ADHD and panic attacks, but with the support of his father, friends, and boyfriend Seth, shows a lot of character growth in this sequel. There are some new Extraordinaries in Nova City, which adds a new layer of excitement and mystery, and Klune skillfully juggles these with a very realistic exploration of four diverse gay teens coming-of-age, in today’s world.The ending is a whopper of a cliffhanger, and has me eagerly awaiting the conclusion to this trilogy. 

With Flash Fire, once again Klune has crafted a thoroughly enjoyable tale filled with humor, heartbreak, witty dialogue, and memorable characters. I can’t recommend it or its predecessor highly enough for older teens and adults who are looking for an science fiction read.

The Nature of Witches, By Rachel Griffin ~ 3.0 Stars

Tags

Climate Change, Contemporary Fantasy, Diversity, LGBTQ, Romance, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: June 1st, 2021

362 Pages

Synopsis: For centuries, witches have maintained the climate, their power from the sun peaking in the season of their birth. But now their control is faltering as the atmosphere becomes mor erratic. All hope lies with Clara, an Everwitch whose rare magic is tied to every season.

In Autumn, Clara wants nothing to do with her power. It’s wild and volatile, and the price of her magic—losing the ones she loves—is too high, despite the increasingly dangerous weather.

In Winter, the world is on the precipice of disaster. Fires burn, storms rage, and Clara accepts that she’s the only one who can make a difference.

In Spring, she falls for Sang, the witch training her. As her magic grows, so do her feelings, until she’s terrified that Sang will be the next one she loses.

In Summer, Clara must choose between her power and her happiness, her duty, and the people she loves…before she loses Sang, her magic, and thrusts the world into chaos.

Practical Magic meets Twister in this debut contemporary fantasy standalone about heartbreaking power, the terror of our collapsing environment, and the ways we unknowingly change our fate. (Goodreads)

I liked the cover of The Nature of Witches, and the premise captured my attention as well. Unfortunately, try as I might, I found myself unable to connect with any of the characters, especially Clara. While I felt for her at times, there was just very little development with her. The romance between her and Sang was sweet, but nothing truly earth-shattering. Thankfully there were several aspects I did enjoy. I thought the magic itself very imaginative, and the setting and world building beautifully detailed. I also appreciated the creative way the author blended contemporary fantasy with climate change and social commentary. The book was also a quick read and I easily finished it in less than two days. So, for me, The Nature of Witches didn’t quite live up to my expectations, but I didn’t find it a chore to read either. And I have to point out that this is receiving a lot of 4-5 star reviews on Goodreads, so it could be just me. If the premise intrigues you, I recommend you give this a try.

Spells Trouble (Sisters of Salem #1), By P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast ~ 2.0 Stars

Tags

LGBTQ, Supernatural Fiction, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: May 25th, 2021

320 Pages

Synopsis: Double double, twins spell trouble…

Hunter and Mercy Goode are twin witches, direct descendants of the founder of their town of Goodeville. As their ancestors have done before them, it is now time for the twins learn what it means to be Gatekeepers—the protectors of the gates to different underworlds, ancient portals between their world and realms where mythology rules an nightmares come to life.

When their mother becomes the first victim in a string of murders, the devastated sisters vow to avenge her death. But it will take more than magic to rein in the powerful mythological monsters who’ve infected their peaceful town.

Now Hunter and Mercy must come together and accept their destiny or risk being separated for good. (Goodreads)

I’ve enjoyed previous books by this mother-daughter duo, including their New York Times bestselling House of Night series, and having lived in Danvers, MA, aka Salem Village most of my life, I’m always interested in books that include the Salem Witchcraft Trials as a backdrop. In the case of Spells Trouble, I liked the plot and thought it was very creatively done, however, the dialogue was surprisingly flat and worse, while a good portion of the book reads like a middle grade novel, there’s language and sexual scenes that are definitely geared more for older teens. This leaves me at a loss as to who I’d recommend this to even if I were so inclined. While I’m still a fan of P.C. and Kristin Cast, in my opinion Spells Trouble isn’t one of their better books, and I don’t believe I’ll be continuing with the series.