Book Review: The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

I love all things witchy and romance, right? This one is just my kind of story!

I wasn't sure if I would like this novel. I'm not usually big on the popular ones, but I have to say, this one SUCKED me right in!

The novel opens on a prologue where Vivi has just experienced a major heartbreak. Her summer fling, Rhys, is betrothed back in Wales, and he has to go back home. Vivi and her cousin Gwyn get drunk and decide to jokingly curse him. They wish for things like his hair to not fall right and for him to have trouble finding the clitoris of future lovers. At the end of the scene, through her heartbreak, Vivi curses him.

Fast forward nine years. Rhys returns to take part in a witchy ceremony that his family is responsible for, but the moment he comes back, all hell breaks loose. His rental car has issues, he nearly gets run over by Vivi, a statue head nearly falls on him. When he takes part in the ley line rituals, things go from bad to worse.

Rhys and Vivi are forced together to find a way to break the curse--and to avoid the attraction that never truly went away.

I loved this book. I loved it so much. I have truly discovered that my favorite trope is second chance romance. Throw in some witches, and I am SOLD.

If you're looking for a fast, fun read with witches and sizzling chemistry, check this one out!

Abbie

Book Review: Spare by Prince Harry

Y'all just know I had to hop on over to my favorite bookstore on my lunch break to grab a copy of the latest tea on the royals!

Growing up, who didn't know about Prince Harry and Prince William? I was eight years old when Princess Diana was killed in that car accident. My grandfather literally had a frame photograph of her on his living room wall. I was also one of those girls who thought Prince William was quite handsome growing up. I loved seeing his relationship with Harry.

But with everything that's happened in the press over the last five years, I've really found that Prince Harry is where it's at. I mean, c'mon. Look at young Harry and look at him now and he truly glowed up.

That said, I've been caught up on the Netflix docuseries, and plenty of people talk about the royals on TikTok. I found the announcement of the memoir interesting, because I really think Harry wanted to wait to publish it until the queen had passed.

My first thought is: I never imagined I would be able to relate to a royal prince.

The memoir starts around the single most defining moment in Harry's life: his mother's death. By page 21, I was in tears because as Harry spoke about the stories he made up that his mother was in hiding, I felt that. I'm a child of divorce. I was very young. I made up stories about my absent parent. God, I felt so hard what it is to make up stories to yourself just so you can cope.

There were many times throughout the novel that I just stopped and had to process the things Harry was saying. Not because it was scandalous (trust me, he holds nothing back), but because I can relate. At one point, he talks about being the bachelor in the family after William married Kate, and how that made him feel. As an unmarried woman in my mid-thirties, I could completely understand his lack of importance (or feeling that way when it came to his family).

Harry talks a lot about his relationship with his brother. He talks about how they promised they wouldn't play games in the media like others did. He talks about how that all changed when Meagan started becoming more popular than the rest of the royal family. What's sad is knowing how much Harry wants to be able to have his relationship back with his brother, even though it would probably be healthier for him to . . . not.

I devoured this book in two days, because it was so good. There are passages that I've highlighted, things that really stuck out to me.

If you've ever been interested in getting Harry's uncensored side of the story, pick up a copy of Spare immediately! You won't regret it!

Abbie

Book Review: A Broken Blade by Melissa Blair

This novel was all the rage on TikTok because the author was a Booktoker, but it was being sent out anonymously. I snagged a copy at my local Barnes and Noble, just because I was curious.

Honestly, I didn't know if I would like this one. Most of the time when I take recommendations from Booktok, I end up not liking them as much as I anticipated. This one surprised me!

Keera is a killer. Her official title is the "King's Blade." She's responsible for handling anything unsavory that the king needs done. She's a Halfling--born between two different races--which makes her the king's property. She trained in the Order and rose to the highest position allowed for someone of her background.

But she hates every minute of it.

The setup for this novel was done really well. First off, I love that she wasn't a super young character. She was literally at least 60 years old, though even she isn't exactly sure how old she is because she was a foundling when she was a child, left to die.

Keera is a complex character. One who struggles with addiction, trauma, and self-harms. Keera has been after her archnemesis, a man known only as the Shadow.

From there, Keera learns the truth about the world and remembers a promise that she made a very long time ago--one she's commiserated over for decades.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought I had guessed the identity of the Shadow early on. However, there was a twist that I felt Blair did a great job of foreshadowing from the beginning. I look forward to reading the next in the series!

Abbie