Tag: book lifestyle

Book Review, Fantasy, Romance

Payback’s a Witch by Lana Harper ~ Book Review

Morgan

Berkley
Romance/Fantasy
My Rating: 🍪🍪🍪

The main premise of Payback’s a Witch felt pretty overdone, with Emmy returning to her magical town of Thistle Grove after years of self-imposed exile to serve her family’s role as arbiter for a spellcasting tournament. That being said, I got major tri-wizard tournament vibes, which was really fun and unexpected.

Emmy joins forces with a couple acquaintances, Linden and Talia, who have all been hurt by Gareth Blackmoore, expected tournament champion. While working to exact revenge on her ex though, Emmy finds that she can’t keep her mind off Talia. The romance was fun and sexy and I loveddd Talia’s badass nature and the way she bantered with Emmy.

I think the general revenge plot needed a little more background in order for me to understand why these ladies would go to suchhh great measures to get back at Gareth. It seemed excessive to get the entire town involved on such a large scale. I also wished there had been a little more world-building. Some of the witchy/paranormal elements seemed to come out of nowhere which was a little jarring.

Overall a cute witchy fall read with a great romance, but not super compelling otherwise.

Check out my bookstagram: @Treat.your.shelf
Buy Payback’s a Witch at an indie bookstore near you
Payback’s a Witch on Goodreads

Book Review, Fiction

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson ~ Book Review

Morgan

Ballantine Books
Fiction
Release Date: February 1, 2022
My Rating: 🍪🍪🍪.5

Black Cake was a very winding story. Although much of it is a slow-burning character driven exploration of a family, there was an unexpected mystery baked in as well. Siblings Byron and Benny find themselves faced with a letter left behind for them after their mother Eleanor’s death, along with a traditional Caribbean black cake for them to eat together when the time is right. As they delve into the letter, the two begin to realize that there was much more to Eleanor’s life than they ever could have imagined.

Eleanor’s story was intricate, heartbreaking, and compelling. The challenges she was up against were interesting and intricate. Her story pulled me in much more fully than those of Byron and Benny. Although fully grown, the two seemed to lack maturity, and their stories felt shallow, particularly in comparison to the richness of the characters surrounding Eleanor and her life.

There was a lottt that went on in this book to the point where I had some trouble following along and keeping track of characters, and the ending seemed like a rushed effort to tie everything together.

Check out my bookstagram: @Treat.your.shelf
Buy Black Cake at an indie bookstore near you
Black Cake on Goodreads