**3.5-stars rounded up**

After she graduated from high school, Emmy Harlow, left her small town of Thistle Grove and moved to Chicago. Since that time, she really hasn't been back. She's forged her own life in the city completely separate from her magical family in Thistle Grove. Perhaps, now is a good time to mention that Emmy is a witch.

During her time in Chicago, she's felt her powers waning. Apparently, it's important for her to remain somewhat tied to her magical roots. With the approach of a traditional spell-casting tournament occurring in Thistle Grove, Emmy finally decides to return for an extended visit. Her parents will be so happy.

Emmy's family normally acts as the arbiters for the competition and because of where she falls within the family line, it is her turn. She could have passed the duties on to her overzealous cousin, but Emmy feels like it is finally time for her to be involved.

Upon returning to town, it doesn't take long for Emmy to be right back into the small town circle: gossip, run-ins with ex-boyfriends, flirting with old classmates, amongst other things. We learn more about the reasons behind Emmy leaving town, more about her and her relationships with her family.

I love the trope of a character returning to their hometown after an extended absence. As someone who moved away from my own hometown as soon as I graduated high school, I can totally relate to those feelings. When you go back, it's so mixed. You're from there, of there, but also, feel like you are out of place. Life moves on without you while you are away and it's like learning about a whole new place once you finally do go back. I really enjoyed that aspect of this book. Emmy being reintroduced to her roots and really reconnecting with the people she had left behind.

The tournament was interesting as well, although I could have used more of it. It's basically like the Triwizard Tournament, but for the founding magical families of this town. I wish there would have been more of that aspect.

Unfortunately, I didn't connect with the romance. I wanted to be interested, but I just didn't care either way. It was fine, but I wasn't sold on how quickly Emmy and Talia fell for one another. Also, I'm not really sure Gareth's vices were worth the efforts the ladies went to in order to get back at him. Not to be mean but, get over it.

With all of this being said, this was a super cute story overall. I loved the town of Thistle Grove. It felt to me like an Adult version of [book:The Babysitters Coven|38856385] and I'm not mad about it. I will absolutely be continuing on with this series.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am looking forward to returning to this town and this great cast of characters when the second book releases in May!

The premise for Payback's a Witch sounds so amazing! I started reading, but had to put it down for now. I wasn't quite connecting with the characters. I hope to pick it back up soon.

It might not be fall anymore, but I am back on my witchy BS when it comes to books. Payback’s A Witch by Lana Harper kicks off The Witches Of Thistle Grove series. This book keeps my witch book pattern going strong and I LOVE it. Friends, I am so glad I picked this paranormal romance up. It was fun and cute with a little bit of competition. I was all over this book.

Payback’s A Witch follows Emmy Harlow who has returned to her hometown of Thistle Grove. Emmy is a witch who hasn’t really leaned into the whole witch thing. In fact, she curates one of those monthly subscription boxes for a Chicago based company. However, the return to Thistle Grove will have her accessing her witchy roots — particularly as she will be serving as arbiter for the town’s Gauntlet which determines who the next mayor is and gives the winning family a big dose of magic. While back in town, Emmy cozies up with Talia Avramov, one of the witches competing in the Gauntlet. Along with another family — the Thorns — the three team up to get revenge on Gareth, a witch who has been cavalier with Emmy, Talia and Emmy’s best friend Linden. Hijinks ensue.

I had a great time reading Payback’s A Witch. This book has characters who are diverse and interesting. Emmy is bisexual. Linden is Black. Talia has SWAGGER like you would not believe. The setting is perfect. This is the kind of book that deserves a hot beverage, a fluffy blanket and cool weather. That is to say — I love

Unfortunately, this one left quite a bit to be desired for me. I found myself lacking any interest in what was going on in these character's lives, and felt no chemistry between the characters at all. I found myself constantly forcing myself to go back to reading this book and felt like it was more of a chore than something I was doing for fun.

This was one of the books I was most looking forward to reading in 2021 and unfortunately I just didn't feel any type of connection to the characters, the plot of the romance. It was a disappointment for me.

I went into this so excited - LGBTQIA+ and witchy vibes? Count me in! I thought the romance felt like it was too instant and too quick. I kept waiting for a buildup but it just sort of ... happened? I did love the atmosphere and the author's way of telling stories and writing to make it feel like i was part of the family and involved in the tournaments. It was just a lot of build up for such a small payout.

So, I think that I had a different idea of what this book was going to be going in which kind of skewed my experience a bit. I'm not sure why but I thought this would have more of a romance storyline and it didn't really deliver in that area for me (again, not sure if it was supposed to!). I did enjoy the writing style and general storytelling.

Some thoughts on Payback’s A Witch because I cant be bothered to write a full review:

•bisexual witchy John Tucker Must Die
•not as steamy as anticipated
•love a good multi-step challenge! The Gauntlet scenes were so fun!
•as someone who did leave her hometown and doesn’t regret it at all, I can appreciate when people love the place they were raised
•there is some extremely cool and hilarious magic here!

I definitely recommend!

I loved this magical, witchy romantic book. I’ve read a few of these new witchy contemporary romance books and have found them to be lacking on the magic side. But I was pleasantly surprised to see a story with solid world-building and more magic than I expected.

* World-Building
The element of the founding families added great history to this world. There is a good balance of old magical history and tradition with characters who feel modern. Thistle Grove feels like it could be a real small suburban town that also happens to be steeped in magical tradition and rituals. I loved the moments when Emmy puts on the mantle as arbiter of the tournament. The way the author describes the flood of magic rushing into Emmy and her wonder at the new abilities was captivating.

* Magical Competition
One of the best parts of the story is the competition but sadly we don’t get nearly enough. I wanted a lot more planning, scheming, and actual moments of the tournament. I loved seeing the other scions use their magic based on their unique strengths. The last round of the competition was weakest one.

* Romance
Emmy and Talia had amazing chemistry. Honestly, I have a big crush on Talia. Trust me to fall for the character with the dark villain vibe. She is seductive, flirty, charismatic, but also the biggest romantic ever. Emmy is witty, fun, and relatable. And they just seemed to complement each other. There is an instant attraction followed by quick development in the romance. Normally, this would bother me but it made sense for them seeing as they’ve been acquaintances their whole lives.

There’s good communication between them and I liked how the author addressed the real concerns they need to figure out without making it feel like one person was sacrificing their needs and wants more than the other. The ending could have used an epilogue but I expect we’ll see Talia and Emmy again in the author’s next book set in Thistle Grove.

There are a couple of intimate moments in the story but it doesn’t reach spicy levels. I wanted a little more steam. The moments felt too short because of interruptions or it was a fade-to-black scene. They are still full of chemistry and palpable tension though.

* Character-Driven
The synopsis makes it seem like the revenge pact is going to be the central plot but it’s purpose is to lay the foundation for Tali, Emmy, Lin, and Rowan to work together. Gareth doesn’t really come out much in the story. This is less of a romantic comedy than the synopsis makes it seem. The revenge plot is still important but it goes deeper than just lovers scorn because of Gareth’s epic douchiness. The story focuses much more on the Emmy’s character development as she digs deep into herself to figure out who she is, and her role in the Harlow family and Thistle Grove.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and I’m looking forward to book 2 in this series because I have a feeling that Isadora and Rowan’s romance is going to be such a good enemies-to-lovers romance!

You know how “John Tucker Must Die” came out and it was like. Fine. But not as fun as it could have been? This book is the exact same vibe.

Do you know how hard it is to make a magic tournament with sapphic women and have me find it kinda boring? But this book is kinda boring.

Only the protagonist was fleshed out and the romance felt pretty rushed.

I was just so not blown away by this book. It was just completely fine, but certainly nothing to write home about. There was another witchy romance book that recently released and I think maybe I was unable to read this one without comparing it to another one, and for me this just didn't hold up. I think there was a lot of potential, and anyone who wants a sweet FF romance without explicit sex scenes and a little adventure this could be a really solid recommendation for them!

A cute sapphic paranormal romance.
If I had to describe this I’d say it’s Sabrina the teenage witch meets John Tucker Must Die. I definitely got hallmark channel movie vibes from the story. I’m not even sure why honestly.

This is one of many books I wanted to read last fall but didn’t.

The descriptions of the town gave me Forks/Halloween town vibes. I loved how the author made me want to be there.

While I did love the revenge plot and most of the characters, something was missing for me. I found myself bored a couple of times, maybe it was too long.
I also wish there was more romance, I loved the MCs but I don’t think we got enough of them.

Also while I did enjoy the revenge plot, I couldn’t believe our MC was holding on to something from that long ago still. And abandoned her family because of it!
Seemed a little extreme to me.

I still plan on reading the rest of the series when it comes out.

A cute and quirky paranormal romance, perfect for the fall season. I enjoyed this, but as an avid romance reader, I wish the romance was centered in the story a bit more. What we did see of Emmy and Talia was enchanting, but the witchy stuff was definitely the focus of the story. The magic competition was engaging, but I found the ending a trifle rushed, particularly in regards to the romance, as we didn't get a lot of time to see the characters unfurl outside of the competition. I enjoyed this enough that I'll definitely be picking up the sequel, however.

Fun magic-filled part romance, part kind of growing up. I really enjoyed this and look forward to the next book in the series.

I absolutely loved the concept of this book for so many reasons. We all love a good magical competition, plus adding a "John Tucker Must Die" vibes, and I'm all in.

It was such a joy to read. The characters, the world building, a complex magical system...I definitely recommend for anyone who wants to get lost in this.

3.5-3.75 stars.

This was a super quick read that was a mix of YA romance and YA fantasy in the most perfect way.

I would say the comps are Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire meets Twiglight (the town was giving me Forks vibes) meets Halloweentown. The atmosphere painted made me want to visit Thistle Grove immediately and possibly never leave!

Aside from the main 2 characters I felt like it lacked a little bit in character development but that often is par for the course in YA reads with a larger cast of characters.

I loved the concept of a magical competition and wish more time was spent on the actual competition itself with more in-depth challenges that lasted longer. Maybe that's just the competition junkie in me (I'd die for a History of the Hunger Games book solely so I could pore over ever detail of the games). I didn't love Emmy as a main character but LOVED Talia and thought she was the most complex character by far.

Overall would definitely recommend for YA lovers, especially around Halloween time.

DNF. I started this in late October and was actively reading it in November. I would occasionally pick it up as I was in between books and read a chapter or two. But honestly there is not much drawing me to keep reading this book. I wanted to be more into it - more into the magic, more into the characters, more into the romance - but it all fell flat for me.

I might try to pick this one up again next fall and give it another chance! Thank you @netgalley and @berkley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Woof. What a whirlwind of a story. This romance is unique in that the world is actually very well built. There were dimensional side characters and real history in this town that it’s easy to root for.

This book!!! Too much fun. I legitimately have not read a fantasy book I enjoyed this much in many, many years. It wasn’t entirely what I was expecting – it was better.

After years away, Emmy Harlow returns to her hometown of Thistle Grove in anticipation of a house competition for the town’s founding family witches – over which she is to preside. But there’s good reason for her being gone so long: one of the other witches, Gareth Blackmoore, left her ten years before and made her feel inconsequential – as the Harlows are considered to be the weaker witches, and do not participate in the tournament that brings strength and prosperity to its crowned family. Emmy left magic behind in exchange for leaving behind a family legacy that followed her around like a storm cloud.

Back in Thistle Grove, Emmy and the other houses – Avramov and Thorn – are teaming up. Having been similarly scorned, her best friend Linden and the mysterious Talia Avermov are working together to put the Blackmoores, and Gareth especially, back in their place. But all that time together seems to be creating some sparks between Emmy and Talia…

There’s a lot going on this book so it is a bit hard to describe for you – but I think part of the action and imagination is what makes it so good. As I said, this is one of the first fantasy books I’ve read in a long, long time – I expected magical realism, but it’s pretty far into a fantasy realm. And I actually loved it! Payback’s a Witch was easily accessible and yet tons of fun. The whimsy and magic of it all was a great ride.

The romance was also adorable! That’s what I actually was reading it for – I honestly didn’t realize it was such an in-depth fantasy, though I live for witches and witchy vibes. And even jumping into a romance, I didn’t know this was queer romance, lol. Somehow I missed that – I don’t tend to read descriptions as much anymore, so I just jumped right into the book. After a few minutes, I actually laughed out loud at my own confusion…”That’s odd, I feel like they’re implying that Talia is the love interest? That’s an odd way to describe her if she isn’t.” Silly me! Really not sure how I missed that but oh my lord, are they cute!

I also loved Emmy and Linden’s friendship. It was sweet and genuine, and riddled with shared history that you could feel through the story. Sometimes I read a romance, and I honestly like the best friends more than I like the couple. Sometimes romance stories can feel disingenuine, but a writer can almost always capture best friends. But Linden and Emmy really compliment the romance and highlight the levels of intimacy differences between Talia and Emmy. Linden and Emmy’s sweet moments of friendship build even better expectations of connection between Talia and Emmy.

The storyline, and the ending, absolutely killed it. I can’t even express to you how much this reignited the vibes I gathered from my middle school, fantasy-reading days (but like, obviously…this one is not meant for middle schoolers!). I also want to note that I listened to this as an audiobook, and the performance and reader was very good. I love, love, loved it!

There’s a sequel coming! I’m told there’s another Witches of Thistle Grove book on the horizon…and I literally cannot wait. This book was just tons of fun. That’s the best way to describe it. Please check it out!!

This is the kind of book that you just sort of ache to step inside. It's a wonderful fall read. I'm feeling a little conflicted about this book though. To start, I thought the premise and setting of this story was incredible. It was giving me all of the spooky, witchy, fall vibes that I crave all year long. The descriptions of Thistle Grove were enchanting and really made me feel like I was in a Salem-esque magical town. I was so excited for the magical tournament and thought the trials were creative and interesting. Unfortunately, this book just felt so slow to me. At about the halfway mark I wasn't really excited to pick it up anymore. Luckily it picked back up again towards the end, but the focus on small details outside of the competition left me feeling uninterested in the story and the characters' relationships. I wish the romance aspect was a little stronger so that I at least felt invested in Emmy and Talia, but even their romance fell a little flat. I still feel like others might enjoy this one, but unfortunately it wasn't really for me. I did appreciate the spookiness of it overall and think that future books in this series could have potential with the strong setting of Thistle Grove. 3.75 stars rounded up.

A sapphic Sabrina? Love it! This was such a refreshing story that has so much of what I love about the genre. I cannot wait to see what Harper does for the next book.