Good morning, book nerds!!
Today is my stop along the Love Spells and Other Disasters blog tour! I was lured in to this paranormal romance from that bright & striking cover. Little did I know I would find a unique story about first loves, fitting in, and figuring out how to communicate with your “less than normal” family. Scroll down for my review of this recently published YA novel and be sure to check out some of the other stops on the tour!
Love Spells and Other Disasters by Angie Barrett
Title & Author: Love Spells and Other Disasters by Angie Barrett
Genre: YA Contemporary/Romance
Release Date: Feb. 1, 2021
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Series Details: Standalone
Page Count: 400 pages
I didn’t know when I wrote the first love spell that it would actually make things happen.
Like, actually make people fall in love with each other…
How could I have known something like that? I mean, magic isn’t real, right?
But here’s the thing—the spell does work and so does the next one and the next one…and suddenly I’m getting a whole lot of attention from everyone at my high school. Me, Blend-into-the-Walls, Please-Let-Me-Introvert-in-Peace Rowan Marshall. And not only that, but I’ve also caught the attention of Luca Russo, a godlike, football-playing hottie who claims he likes me just the way I am. Ummm…
But as I’m about to learn, playing around with things you don’t understand means when things go wrong—like really, very awfully wrong—you don’t know how to fix them.
Thank you so much to Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours, Entangled Teen, and the author for providing me with an earc in exchange for an honest review.
“Trust me when I say, there is nothing in the world more socially crippling than having a mother who rehabilitates ghosts for a living.”
Rowan, our teenaged MC, has always hidden in her mother’s shadow. A famous parapsychologist (read: ghost hunter), Dr. Marshall is constantly conducting paranormal research throughout their inherited mansion. Between daily conversations with her deceased husband, filming auras, and the occasional séance, Rowan’s mom firmly believes in the supernatural. Rowan, however, does not.
Comfortable with her invisible identity, Rowan is less than thrilled when she’s paired with one of the most popular girls in Fern County for a charity-fundraising project at school. Even more so when she finds out they’ll be crafting “crush spells,” in order to make their money. Assuming no one would take them seriously (especially because she doesn’t believe in this spooky nonsense anyways), Rowan agrees to Abby’s plan & writes their first spell. A spell that seemingly works!
“Once again, I’m amazed at how much people are willing to believe in the unbelievable when they want something.”
Soon everyone from students to teachers are lining up for love spells,
and Rowan finds herself wondering how this is even possible. Is it magic? Or simply a confidence boost? Was Rowan’s mom right about the powers of the paranormal? Or is Abby somehow scheming Ro & her peers?
As the spells continue to grow in popularity, so does Rowan. From being invited to exclusive parties and shopping sprees with the cool kids to a new love interest with a “heart-slaying” smile, Rowan finds stepping into the light and taking more chances isn’t as scary as she once thought.
“There are things that can happen when you cast a spell like this one. Side effects & blow back that will impact your life in ways that you won’t like.”
But magic comes with a cost, and this cute romance quickly morphs into a dark tale of warning. I can’t delve too deeply without diving into spoilers, but I will say I was shocked with some of the dark twists Barrett delivered in this story. These heavy consequences force Ro to make some tough choices that might cost her everyone she loves.
Ultimately, this is a very character-driven novel, & I enjoyed watching Rowan evolve throughout the chapters. Some of her supporting characters come across as selfish & self-centered at times, but it’s all made right by the end.
And while I feel this read a little long, it’s fully realized ending made it worth the read. With some steamy scenes and surprise twists, this supernatural contemporary is a great choice for Valentine’s Day reading!
TW: death of a parent, death of a grandparent, parental abandonment, toxic relationships, physical abuse.
Author Angie Barrett lives in a small town in Ontario, Canada
in an old century home that is also known as the “cat house” because, well, Angie likes cats. A lot. She also likes shopping for books, or for anything really, and spending time RVing in the summer with her family. She has worked for sixteen years as a high school English teacher and Librarian and is currently a Curriculum Consultant for new teachers. Angie has always dreamed of being a published author and strives to create worlds where there are strong, relatable characters who maybe are not always perfect but who understand the meaning of friendship and loyalty and who will use their collective strengths to overcome adversity.
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