Wow! I enjoyed this one soo much!
So this is actually the first that I've read by these authors and they lived up to the hype that I've heard about them really well!
Hunter and Marcy Goode are twin witches and they are crossing a big time in their lives when they learn to be the protectors of the gates and for them to make the choice of what God or Goddess they are going to choose for their path.
However when they go to do their ritual on their birthday something goes terribly wrong and a creature comes out of the gate and attacks the girls and then their mother sacrifices herself to save the girls. Now, the girls must work together with their friends and feline to get the gates closed and to get rid of whatever crossed over.
So, this story was really good. There was a little teenage drama but I enjoyed the story. I was hooked from once I really started reading it and finished rather quickly. If you like Legacies or even Charmed then this book would be for you! I am really happy to see that it's a series!!! Thank you Netgally and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this one!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.
I'll be honest, I did not have the opportunity to complete this one. But what I did read, the world-building was phenomenal, the characters were beautiful, and I found little fault with the text. Granted, I didn't finish it because I did get a little bored half-way through, but that's just my individual difficulty to get through quiet slumps in the literature. Sometimes I just need non-stop excitement.

The setting and premise of the story is very intriguing. I liked that the five trees protected the underworld gates to different mythological underworlds. It was interesting seeing the different cultural influences and mythological creatures. I found the characters a little frustrating though. They were interesting and had some great qualities that made me want to like them more; but I found their dialogue felt forced and unnatural at times which took me out of the story. I also found some of their actions frustrating, it was odd how much the book stressed how close the twins were for them to keep disrespecting and not listening to each other. I understand that they were facing some factors of growing apart and feeling frustrated with each other before the events in the book started but it really felt like they were never that close at all. That said I am still interested in the series and hope that some more character development will help me grow to like the characters more.

Conceptually, this story is okay, not something never done before, but original in its own telling. I would have loved more of this story had the twins not been so ‘valley’. That was an immediate turn off for me. The POV crosses were almost impossible to tell apart, and I caught myself flipping back to make sure I hadn’t missed something.

The absolute devotion to a man who has 2 personalities, the “he’s different when we are alone” teaches young girls a dangerous boundary to be okay with. The overall troupe of popular gorgeous sister vs unpopular sister but one is accepted (They are twins)

I found no ‘blaring’ plot holes or story inaccuracies but this isn’t one I would return to, nor will I likely pick up the sequel.

I have a ton of respect for P.C. and Kristin Cast, but I am a much larger fan of their works individually vs together.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this Arc in exchange for a review.

Thanks to St Martins Press and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this E-ARC.

This book has so many great aspects. Who doesn't love witches? Throw in teens and their drama and hardships and it made for a fun book. I love the way the author included a variety of magic with tarot, a cauldron and so much more. The Gods and Goddesses were fun to read about as well. While parts of this book were exciting, I felt I often wanted to put the book down as it was slow in places.

I felt a bit conflicted about the audience of this book. Is it YA? Because with the sex scene and language used, I wouldn't think so, but the story and thought patterns of the main characters leads one to believe it should be. I can't quite figure out where this one lands.

I also had a hard time getting used to the POV. At first, I was confused by the flip-flopping between sisters but eventually, I became used to it.

I would love to see more from Jax and the characters that live in the underworld as protectors in the next book. I really love Xena, she provided some great comedic relief when the twins became a bit too much, personality-wise.

This is the first in a new series by Cast. It has been quite a long time since I've read anything by this author. Unfortunately this book didn't do it for me. It moved fairly slowly and I wasn't invested in any of the characters. I'm glad I read it, but I don't know if I will be picking up the next in the series. This may be an author I have grown out of, and that's alright!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. I had a really hard time getting into this one since the beginning was really... Well corny and annoying. The prologue was actually really awesome and witchy though! I'm glad I pushed through it though! I really liked the idea the sisters; Hunter and Mercy Goode using their magic to try to fix problems within their hometown of Goodeville. There's tragedy, magic, mayhem and a hilarious cat(?) The cat isn't what it appears and that's probably my favorite part of the whole book! I really loved the idea behind this book... an important magical family that are the descendants of an important Salem witch that have to protect the gates to different underworlds. Oh and they all choose a god or goddess to follow (would've loved to see more of the lore behind the gods/goddesses chosen). Overall I really enjoyed Spells Trouble. I just wish it would have involved more witch drama and less high school drama. The writing felt a bit immature at times too. If you're into witchy, earthy, magical books that contain funny familiars don't miss this one on May 25!

Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this E-ARC. I will publish this review on my blog (A Bookish Star), Amazon Canada, Barnes & Noble, and Instagram (@ABookishStar) closer to the publication date.

My favourite part of Spells Trouble was the concept. I liked the idea of twin sisters being responsible for the gates that protect their town. I liked that Mercy is an Earth witch and Hunter is a cosmos witch. The book's inclusion of nature, tarot, or even a cauldron into their spells was neat to read about in this book.

The other aspect of Spells Trouble that I liked was the friendship between the twins, Emily and Jax. The idea that that the twins could rely on their friends during troubling times was nice to see in this book. This aspect of friendship is something I remember also enjoying in P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast's House of Night series.

Jax and Hunter were, by far, my favourite characters in Spells Trouble. I even wish that Jax had more page time in book one. My favourite POV to read about was Hunter's narration. I related to Hunter with her past of being bullied and socially anxious around crowds of people.

I wasn't a big fan of how the story was structured in Spells Trouble. I think the story was building up tension for the end. However, I found the ending to be a bit anticlimactic. I am hoping that book two will focus more on the gates. I felt that the grief that the characters were going through could have been better shown. I also felt the antagonist was revealed too soon in the story. The early revelation of the antagonist for me meant that the book lost a bit of its element of mystery and surprise.

This novel did leave me with a few questions: Why does Mercy call her mom by her first name? Why does Mercy use English phrases (is she half English)? Where is the twins' father?

I also wanted more backstory on how Xena can transform into a person.

Overall, I will continue with book two, because I'm curious to see how the main story continues to unfold in the Sisters of Salem series. I enjoyed the story's concept and the strong friendships shown in Spells Trouble. I was not a big fan of how the plot was laid out and unfolded.

This book and its characters are absolutely stunning!
The back story of this book is a subject that has always fascinated me. The Salem Witch Trials. After she and her daughter escaped, Sarah Good set up her new life in Illinois.
Present day, the Good twins Mercy and Hunter, are about to have their 16th birthdays. The twins are complete opposites but are also extremely close. They are also absolutely witches. I was worried at first when it jumped that it would be a book where they didnt know their lineage and had to discover their powers but instead, they were witches descended from witches and they were about to come into their full powers after they chose their god or goddess.
It starts off with the twins losing their mother on their big night, midnight on their birthday. Their cat then turns human and becomes their guardians so at least they dont have to leave town.

Overall, I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the differences between the twins and their interactions with their friends and others in the town. I also loved the darker side of the books. There are a ton of murders that happen and the twins are racing to stop them.

The ending was something I was slightly expecting. .not the exact end but rather, an obvious set up for another book. I love that it continues and that I get to read more.

This is a story about witchy women.

I enjoyed this, but wanted more out of it. The action scenes were fun & descriptive, but the relationships felt like they were primarily setting up for a sequel & the banter felt forced. I did really enjoy the cat/aunt character! Extra 1/2 star for the interesting magic system.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️. 🌟 , rounded to 4.

Thank you Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for this e-Arc!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

As a longtime P.C and Kristin Cast fan (I was obsessed with the House of Night series as a teen) I was so excited when I heard about this book.

The story is told from two POV's, twins Hunter and Mercy, who are witches. They need to learn how to be Gatekeepers, the protectors of the Gates to different underworlds, ancient portals between their world and realms where mythology rules and nightmares come to life. When their mother becomes the first victim in a string of murders, the twins are set to avenge her death.

This book was okay. I really wanted to love it! The beginning was strong and kept my interest, but as the story went on I found myself getting bored. That being said, I will pick up the second book to see what happens.

Hunter and Mercy are forced into their roles as the new Gatekeeper’s of the Underworld on their 16th birthday after a spell goes wrong and tragedy happens. As Goodes, it is their responsibility to protect the town and find the killer.

I had fun reading this book. I enjoyed how different Hunter and Mercy were, despite being twins. Where one was weak the other was strong. They reminded me of how the Owens sisters (from Practical Magic) would be if we saw them as teens. The relationships between Jax and Hunter, and Emily and Mercy were adorable. I didn’t like Kirk at all. He was the typical jock boy, arrogant, stupid and I would say dangerous. Avoid at all costs!

I like how the authors added bits of mythology in the book and how the sisters (and the mother) chose their own god or goddess to dedicate their path to. I know a few Wiccans and this is something that I have heard them talk about so it seems they did their research.

I was hoping the book would have stayed in the Salem Witch Trials era (as that is a favorite historical time period of mine) and I felt we were somewhat roughly transitioned to modern-day but overall I think this was a good book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC.

I had to DNF this book. It started pretty interestingly, but when the time jump to the twins came, I lost interest because I didn’t like the characters at all. I know there’s huge debate about adults saying YA seems immature, but in this case, it’s as if the authors are out of touch with how teens really talk. The MCs say things like pressies (presents) & hugses. The dialogue is also a little absurd. In chapter 3, the mother of the girls literally ask if she wants to talk about her clitoris again when she goes steady with a boy.

I was so excited to receive an advanced e-copy of this book as I’ve been looking forward to it! I really wanted to love it. Books with witches are my favorite. Twin witches Hunter & Mercy are ushered into their roles as the new Gatekeeper’s of the underworlds on their 16th birthday, after a spell goes awry and their mother is murdered. This twins now must hunt down the murderer while keeping mythological monsters at bay. It is after all, their duty as the Goode’s, to protect the town.

I really enjoyed this one and I can’t wait to see what’s next, I struggled a little with the switching back and forth between characters but after reading for a while I was able to get into it....

Plot
I wanted to like this book. After the prologue -which I loved!- I was hooked. It quickly went downhill. There was really just a modge podge of 'magick' and mythology with no real direction, so it comes off as bland and reaching just to progress the story. Then there is the rather gratuitous sex scene that comes off as cringe-worthy for a YA book. It read like a how-to, which I do not appreciate. Had this been an adult/erotica book, it totally would have made sense. In this context/age group, hard pass.

Characters
Okay, we get is. Mercy and Hunter are different. It was plenty obvious, but it felt like parts were written just to, once again, remind the reader how different they were. And their CONSTANT use of the word 'witchy' was so redundant that I rolled my eyes every time they used it.
Bast had the potential to be so awesome, you know, as a goddess, but she was kept as 'Xena,' which annoyed me to no end. Like, hey, this is supposed to be a goddess, like the kind you worship, and you keep referring to her as a character from a bad 90s show.
Kirk was horrible and a total douche, which really made him the most real character in the book. I loved to hate him because, as much as his jerk-ness was over done, he served as a cautionary tale for girls.

Disappointed.

Twin witches Hunter & Mercy are ushered into their roles as the new Gatekeeper’s of the underworlds on their 16th birthday, after a spell goes awry and their mother is murdered. This twins now must hunt down the murderer while keeping mythological monsters at bay. It is after all, their duty as the Goode’s, to protect the town.

I was so excited to receive an advanced e-copy of this book as I’ve been looking forward to it! I really wanted to love it. Books with witches are my favorite. Unfortunately this just didn’t do it for me.

The book starts out strong, with a flashback of the Goode ancestors. It then jumps right into things with the twins 16th birthday, spell work, and their mother’s murder. Not enough was established to the reader for me to connect and feel anything about this or the murders that follow. The twins, Mercy & Hunter, along with their friends- and cat- work together to find the murderer, and hopefully save the town, all in what feels like a matter of hours. Maybe it was days? It was unclear.

Besides the off feel of the pacing the book simply felt silly. I’m not sure how else to describe it, but it almost felt satirical. It was a very simple read, feeling more middle grade, but with YA/NA sexual situations and language, confusing me on who the target audience actually is. The MC’s constantly made odd choices that didn’t fit what had just happened adding to the off feeling.

Hunter & Mercy are also described as being polar opposites in almost all ways, yet while reading, their “voices” sounded exactly the same. I found myself having to double back quite a few times to see who was actually talking.

I did really like the friendships between Jax and Hunter, and Emily and Mercy. Jax especially was a refreshing character. It was nice to have a good guy in the book that was an awesome friend and not forced into some romantic role. The references to lore and mythology were cool too, though a lot of it was tossed in but not fully expanded on. There seemed to be a lot of set up for the next book.

This ultimately is a quick and easy read packed full of high school drama, lgbtq rep, and of course witchery. I just think maybe my expectations were too high.

*Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for providing me with an ARC.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Spells Trouble in exchange for an honest review.

My favourite niche trend in YA right now is sapphic witch stories so when I heard that Spells Trouble follows 2 witches (one of whom is queer!) I was really excited but unfortunately, I was ultimately let down. This is neither author's first book which meant I was really surprised by how exposition-y this was. The first few chapters are a lot of heavy-handed dialogue where characters remind themselves of the plot, their relationships, and goals and while that phases out as the plot progresses, it sets up a very younger-middle-grade story telling style. Unfortunately, this book also includes swears, slurs, and sex scenes so it's definitely not good for that audience either. There are elements of goodness here, but it exists in this weird in-between of maturity that really doesn't lend itself to any solid audience.

Hunter and Mercy, twin witches born from Salem's Goode bloodline are charged with guarding gates that run along ley lines in Goodeville. They come into their true power on their 16th birthday, but it doesn't go as it should, ending in murder and mythical monsters being released into the human world.

Alright, well, I had high hopes for this novel, it was one of my most anticipated books of this year. I really was expecting more based on the House of Night series by the same author and the concept that this book seemed to be based from. Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me. The description of the book is definitely what pulled me in. A magical mystery surrounding the teen witches where there's murders where it throws the sisters into having to save the town and ultimately their world. Sounds good, right!?! .

Hunter, Mercy, and their best friends Jax and Emily, are alright characters but could definitely do with some more development. The book is told through both Hunter and Mercy's POV. The author introduces them as two polar opposites; however when reading the POV's, they are almost identical making it really hard to determine who’s POV it is. The girls' inner voices weren’t distinct enough to make it immediately obvious who was talking, which got confusing at some points, especially with no notice or heading that the perspective had changed. I guess the author was going for showing how connected the twins were through their "twin bond", but it made it difficult to follow along who's POV you were reading from.

Unfortunately, the pacing made it less of an enjoyable read when coupled with the switching POV without notice. The quantity of events after their birthday mishap, the speed it unfolds at, the emotional choices for the characters, and a lot of "telling" not "showing" description language made the timeline and events disorientating. Overall, it wasn’t a bad book, but it was just an average book. I'll probably end up getting the second book just because the concept of the novel has so much potential and I'm just gonna hope that the readability gets better.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book to review.

I had really high expectations for this book as I am a huge fan of the House of Night books by the same authors, and sadly I don’t feel that this necessarily lived up to those expectations. I really liked the concept of this book, but I found myself struggling a lot with the POV’s because the authors would flip between them without a heading to let you know it was coming, and the characters voices weren’t always distinct enough to make it immediately obvious who was talking, which got confusing at some points. I also sometimes found the dialogue to be a little awkward and the characters motivations and reactions to different things weren’t always clear.

Storywise, the book is okay. I liked the concept of twin witches going out to right the wrongs in the world and avenge a tragedy that had befallen them. Hunter and Macy aren’t bad characters and I would definitely check out the sequel, I just again fall back on the point that although the author introduces them as two polar opposites, their dialogues and thoughts are almost identical making it really hard to determine who’s POV it is, and also, Macy’s blind adoration for her blithering boyfriend really does have some throwbacks to Zoey and Heath from house of night, he’s even a quarterback.

Overall, yeah. It wasn’t a bad book by any means, but it was just an alright book. I’ll definitely pick up the second one cause I’m interested to see what happens but I don’t think this book has the re-readability that house of night did.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story definitely pulled me in and I looked forward to reading it at the end of the day. I'm looking forward to the next installment of the series and wishing I could jump in now! I will definitely have to investigate both of these authors other works so it looks like that should keep me busy for awhile!

There was a lot going on and a lot of emotions in this book. I loved the fact that one of the characters is gay but no one close to her thinks anything of it. She had been bullied for it in the past which does get mentioned but I think that, unfortunately, that is pretty common right now in our society so she is a character that a lot of folks can relate to. I also love that there is a male best friend of a female with no romantic/sexual connotations, just super supportive of his best friend. I love the mix of witchcraft, magic, and mythology - those are all things I enjoy and I loved having them altogether.

I will add the ending did seem a bit rushed but maybe it was on purpose to make it feel fast paced. Hoping the next book isn't too far in the future!