Since we are covering yet another witch book, I am dubbing this time on the blog Summerween (I'm borrowing that name from Gravity Falls, just so everyone's aware). I don't need to waste too much time reiterating my enjoyment of witch stories, especially since this one belongs in the same cozy fun category as the … Continue reading The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, by Sangu Mandanna →

It’s inevitable that I have a fixation on something totally out of season every so often. In June 2021, I was struck with a Christmas/Nutcracker vibe, and this year, it appears that the vibe is witches, because there are a few more witchy, magical reads to come. When 19-year-old Vivienne Jones went through a breakup, … Continue reading The Ex Hex, by Erin Sterling →

I should have known that if this book had a blurb from the author of the Hush, Hush series, it would not be all that great. This book has been on my TBR list for what feels like years. I mean, a book about a young witch going to a magical school sounds about as … Continue reading Hex Hall, by Rachel Hawkins →

Happily Ever Afters is one of those what I like to call "snap summary" books: where the summary sounds so relatable and fun that there was no question of buying it. Any book that explores the turbulent journey of being a writer hits so close to home. You all know that I'm not particularly wild … Continue reading Happily Ever Afters, by Elise Bryant →

If I could pick one book to define my sophomore year of high school, it is Ghostgirl. I found a copy in my high school library, brought it to my fourth-period Consumers Ed class, and really did not want to stop reading it. It was unlike any other hardcover book I'd happened upon, with a … Continue reading Ghostgirl, by Tonya Hurley →

Misery seems to be a title that some Stephen King readers remember, but does not get talked about with the same reverence as other books. More people seem to remember it for the 1990 film starring Kathy Bates, whose performance won a Best Actress Oscar, making it, to date, the only Stephen King film to … Continue reading Misery, by Stephen King →

I suppose I would not be reviewing this book if life did not throw so many curveballs at me. The last several weeks have been rough, between severe weather outbreaks, tax season, and a few other personal crises that left me struggling mentally. And so, when I could find nothing else to adequately occupy my … Continue reading The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett →

Alice in Wonderland was an often consumed tale in my childhood. I'm sure my family could tell countless stories of me running around our backyard in my blue sundress, white tights, and Mary Janes, pretending to chase the White Rabbit. Even in adulthood, I still find much amusement in Alice's adventures, whether in print, onstage, … Continue reading Alice I Have Been, by Melanie Benjamin →

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott somehow escaped my attention in childhood. I've seen both the 1994 and 2019 movie adaptations, as well as the stage musical, but I've never read the actual book. There's no urgency to, given how often I've seen it adapted, but the story's sugary sentimentality is appealing. Amanda Sellet must … Continue reading Belittled Women, by Amanda Sellet →

TRIGGER WARNING: This review contains mention of abuse. You have been warned. This will probably be the last Sarah Dessen book I'll ever review. Not only do I barely have anything to say about her other books, but also because of some problematic behavior she's shown in recent years. In 2019, Ms. Dessen uncovered a … Continue reading Dreamland, by Sarah Dessen →