Family drama with some fantasy elements. Kind of basic writing, but still sucks you in to an extent. I wanted more world building and more in depth characters.

3.5 Stars

I needed to put some distance between myself and this book, it felt a little overwhelming just after I finished it. I did not like it at fist, but after I got into the story, I could not stop reading. I guess you could brand it as a fantasy, but also as a family drama, a trauma and abuse recovery story. It is set in the modern age smallish city of Grimsby, somewhere in the US. It is told in the first person's voice from Victoria Rowan.

The first few chapters give us a pretty comprehensive set up for the story: Vic tells the story, she and her siblings have some sort of talents (she can detect emotions in people, Phillipa is loved by everybody, Liam can feel the stories behinds objects by touching them). The book starts with the death of the matriarch, Rachel Rowan. Pretty soon we discover that Rachel Rowan was NOT a nice person, she was deeply disliked in Grimsby, her kids mistrusted. We also find out that the three siblings hated their mother, that their dad died in mysterious circumstances and that some people are still trying to find out what happened the day he died. And we meet Reed, Vic's ex from high school, son from the retired police chief, now an FBI agent, and the book's love interest.

By now as a reader you have realised that this is not your usual fantasy book, but rather a family drama with some fantasy element. As the three siblings try to make sense of the family history while deciding what to do with the house, the furniture, the body, we find that abuse leaves its marks on people in very different ways, and that the path to recovery is deeply personal and cannot be forced.

I loved the setting, the house with its beautiful rooms and furniture, but imho this could have been explored more. I felt like the memories haunting the rooms and objects could have given them more of a life of their own. Or maybe I just like creepy ghost stories. Additionally, and I admit this is personal taste, but for me that language is too casual, too everyday, it lacks some depth, and I would have welcomed more lyricism.

TRIGGER WARNING: Obviously child abuse but NOT of a sexual nature. It is sometimes quite disturbing (lake scene, for instance), also, much less graphic, attempted sexual assault, suicide, drowning, murder.

The figure out why everyone hatecover of this book is absolutely stunning, and the description intrigued me; so of course I had to read it. This book follows The Rowan Family. All of them have magical powers and each have their own past. One thing they all have in common, however, is their controlling mother Racheal. Racheal owns a Rosemary Thyme store and is known in town as a scorned woman who you do not want to be intertwined with.
After Racheal's death, her 3 children Vic, Phillipa and Liam come together and use their powers tod their mom, and also Liam gets accused of killing her and they know he did not do it.
I really liked how the story took turns when you least expect it, and it was not predictable at all. Just when you think its all said and done, boom another turn it takes. I was impressed of the flow of the book and found myself reading past my bed night.
What I would have liked more of is the back story of their magic and how they learned to use their gifts. Also in the description it states that Racheal (the mom) was narcissistic, however I felt that part did fall flat. Having my own narcisstic mother, I felt that the mom could use more snark and passive aggressiveness. Was she controlling? Absolutely, however I would have liked a little more.
All in all, this book was solid and would recommend it to my friends and family if your looking for a thriller that touches on magic, murder and mayhem. Thank you net Galley for my ARC and honest review.

Vic left home fifteen years ago under a dark cloud and she hasn’t been back since. Her new life in the city is built carefully around privacy and solitude and painstakingly constructed boundaries. When her mother dies, finally, Vic is finally drawn home to deal once and for all with her ghosts – and there might be even more ghosts than she remembers. In order to solve her mother’s murder she will have to join together with her equally traumatised siblings, hoping that they can forgive her for abandoning them. Only when every sordid truth has been unearthed will they finally have peace.

The magic in this is a thread throughout, tying together the family and the mystery and the town. I enjoyed the unique approach to introducing magic into a setting; the town seemed aware of the magic, but didn’t fully understand it, and they appeared in equal measures to be accepting of its presence whilst also rejecting those who practiced as ‘different’. Outside of the family it doesn’t seem to be talked about, but when it is mentioned people don’t seem overly surprised or suspicious. This allowed the magic to be integrated seamlessly into the narrative without being a big focus that detracted from the mystery. Liam’s magic was particularly fascinating, especially with the difficulties that it presented to him in his everyday life.

Overall this book was an easy read. I was intrigued by the mystery without being overtaken by it, meaning that I could take my time in reading the book and enjoy the smaller scenes which added their own magic even if they didn’t aid the overall plot. Whilst everything did end up being solved in a bit of a rush at the end, I found I didn’t mind as much because I was reading for the characters and their emotional journey more than anything else.

“A room that would always be perfect”
“Ding dong, Mother, the witch is dead.”
“When evil dies, do you mourn its loss?”
Have you ever watched “The Hunting of Hill House”? Well if you haven’t , then read this book and then go and watch it.
There’s no lie in saying that it completely caught me off-guard and it was so surprising, I literally couldn’t put it down.
The story , as well as the characters, completely enchanted me to the point that I didn’t know what was real and what was not.
“This return to normality could not last”
I loved how the author decided to develop the plot , mixing mystery , magic and thriller all the while dealing with terrible and problematic issues.
Brotherhood, children abuse, trust issues, past trauma, skeletons in the closet, magical abilities, empathy and romantic love… this book has them all.
“Like a scene from a romance, I thought he might kiss me.”
“The lid is off Pandora’s box. You can’t keep it shut now.”
I loved each and every one of those characters despite some of their evident flaws. They all taught me something during the reading experience that I’ll deeply cherish.
I really liked the writing style the author used; it made the book not too tough or complicated to read while trying to pass as many important messages as possible.
“Creating art leaves room in the spirit for little else.”
“Life has its difficulties. Challenges. Problems. But love makes it easier to deal with it.”
“Love is magic. And magic comes in threes,Pip. I don’t make the rules”

This book grabbed me right away and I was captivated all the way through. A mix of magic, evil, family issues, and murder in a small town. I really loved the gifts of the Rowan siblings, and Vic’s gift of empathy felt so real. I loved the unusual connection with Reed. I loved watching how characters changed through the story. I loved how both the home and the town (well, and every object!) seemed to have their own personalities or characters. I admit to being surprised by the ending. It was good, though, and I plan to reread because I think it would be just as good but also fun to pick up hints I may have missed.

I read this as an arc from netgalley but am buying my own copy.

I really did want to love this. I loved the concept and plot however I wish it gave more detail and substance. More magic? More family? I’m not sure but it felt like something was missing.

A fun paranormal mystery, but the story doesn't really delve into the family's magic or work very hard to develop the characters. The pacing is very good, though.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
I liked this book.
It was fun enough and I did finish it,
but i kinda felt like the story was lacking something that could have made it great.
I'm not really sure what it was, maybe I just read this book at the wrong time.
I don't really know...
If this book sounds interesting to you, I would recommend it as I feel like a lot of people would love it.
Sadly I just was not one of them...

I wanted to love this book. I thought the promise of witches and magic and magical realism and mystery were the perfect combination. I read all of those things. I am not sure if it was that the characters didn't do it for me, or if it was the tragedy of the parents and the dysfunction of the family but I really didn't care for this book. I think I am in the minority as there are all positive reviews on goodreads.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

love this sort of book

magic and curses with a bit of murder and blackmail thrown in as well, whats not to like

the rowan children each have gifts

ding dong the witch is dead...that's what the rowans siblings said to each other

interesting read, getting to know rowan family and their gifts, hope this is the beginning of a series as i really enjoyed this book

a new author for me but one i will be keeping an eye out for

I have to say I was incredibly excited for this book — a suspenseful thriller with magic, murder and romance? It’s all a bookseller could dream of! Unfortunately, I was not nearly as enchanted by this book as other readers. It fell enormously flat for me, particularly by the stale and vaguely eye-roll inducing conclusion.

The world-building was half-finished instead of being delightfully vague, leaving me with questions about how magic works in this world — or, just this town? — that drew me away from the plot.

Characters were one-note and frequently felt stilted as puppets. The setting should’ve been an important anchor — the childhood house, the strange little town all gentrified — but instead it felt like a middle school theatre backdrop, painted by inexperienced hands in the wrong colors.

All in all, the blending of genres is so much fun and I think the depiction of abusive parents (and the characters surviving such a household) is enormously important, but as a story, I just simply struggled to enjoy it.

Great book! I really enjoyed this paranormal murder mystery and will be looking for other books by this author. The pace was perfect, the romance not overblown, and the murder mystery very well set up. I read the book overnight because once started could not put it down.

My Recommendation ⭐️⭐️⭐️

“A Spell of Rowans”
by Byrd Nash

A Magical Mystery Tale about Siblings of a Wicked Mother

In the small town of Grimsby, an almost universal sigh of relief is experienced by the community when death notices are announced for prominent widow, antique shop owner, and so called “witch,” Rachel Rowan.

In the funny, cute and romantic tale of a very serious topic, “A Spell of Rowans,” both the psychological and physical abuses that three children experienced growing-up under the care of a cruel mother and a weak father are addressed.

When middle child, Victoria (Vic), an artist and empath, receives the call from elder sis, Phillipa, a realtor and enchantress, with news confirming their mother’s death, her first words are reminiscent of a song from the ‘Wizard of Oz’—“Ding Dong” (the witch is dead).

Upon returning to their hometown for the funeral arrangements, Vic is confronted with chaos on all fronts. Her brother, Liam, with a gift for psychometry (a method of reading an object’s past by touching them), is charged with murder of an employee; her mother's death is investigated as suspicious; her former boyfriend is now FBI and in town hunting a killer; and the new sheriff is out to get her.

Things keep spiraling out-of-control for the Rowan siblings before their mother's estate is settled. Multiple mysteries must be solved before the conclusion of this fast and fun read with a grave underlying issue that should not be downplayed—child abuse—nor ridiculed.

========

The Book Maven’s Journal—Reviews for Word Connoisseurs
REVIEWER: J. Hunt
STAR RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️


“A Spell of Rowans”
by Byrd Nash
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Sci Fi & Fantasy | Women's Fiction
Publication Date: 25 October 2021
Publisher: Rook and Castle Press

With Sincerest Appreciation to NetGalley, Author Byrd Nash, and Rook and Castle Press for Providing this Advance Reader’s Copy for Review.

Wow. A Spell of Rowans by Byrd Nash is a beautiful work of art. Loved the story, the siblings bond, the misteries, the twists... I’m really glad for Philippa, Vic and Liam.
This is about families, and the truth is that there’s not a single perfect family. Some are more sick and twisted than others.
This is really an emotional page-turner. I am looking forward for other books from this author.

This book had me in its grip right from the first page. It starts with a death and the hooking is the part where people seem to have expected it and not grieving it.

The three siblings, the Rowans, their powers are really interesting and elaborated on enough that you start seeing the complexities, the curse and the blessing. How it impacts their lives, and how they might use them to their advantages.

Their relationship is also really well established and complicated. They love each other, and still fight, and make up. There's good memories and bad, regrets and resentment and gratitude. I just loved every interaction between the Rowans.

The trauma depicted in the story, from being abused to being assaulted, is real and not downplayed. The small glimpses we see of their history, the traces it left on them, are horrifying and makes you want to murder a dead woman.

The presence of their mother even in death, the impact she's having on everyone and everything around them even from beyond the grave? Profound and so very well written.

The love stories weren't slow burn, but they didn't feel like insta love at all. I could see what chemistry they might have together, and I could see myself rooting for them.

Although I was a little disappointed at the lack of explanation as to why Victoria's empath abilities didn't seem to work on Reed.

The murder mystery part? I did not see that coming. There were clues everywhere, you just didn't notice them until the very end. Everything fell into place little by little, forming the full picture.

Things about their past, about the extent of their abilities, information about different characters, everything was revealed slowly and at the appropriate moments. The writing is brilliant and well paced.

I was a little curious about a few things that were left open at the end, but all in all everything was wrapped up quite nicely. I can definitely see this book becoming one of my top reads of 2021.

Spoilers!!!

Byrd Nash really put her heart heart and soul into this book. The characters and plot were very well written giving a very engrossing story, I was hooked from the first chapter! The hints of magic through the story but not being completely out there fantasy was great. I loved Liams power, it was unique and something I hadn't seen a million times. Speaking to objects and getting a feel for the histories, for the way the families cherished the item left me wanting more from his point of view. I would have loved to know the gossip the street post picked up as everyone passed it going admit their day. The slow romance between Vic and Reed was beautiful, the way he was always patient and understanding of her not liking random touching, of her trauma from her parents. Reed never shamed the Rowans for who they are and what they could do. I truly hated Rachel Rowan, the trauma she inflicted on her children left me wishing I was in the book so I could punch her for them. The scene where Rachel almost drowned Liam made me need to take a break from the book, it was so well written and I could feel how sad and guilty Vic felt for not doing anything even though she was a child and her mother would have definitely punished her for trying to help her brother. How could Victor just sit there and listen to his children suffer all those years? I wish we could have heard what was going on in his head in his last moments.

The epilogue was quite the surprise, I never thought that Rebecca was the ghost killer! Rebecca definitely deserved a reward for ridding the world of Rachel but I'm glad she will be taken out by her own death curse.

I loved this book, this is the first book I've read of Byrd Nash's but I'll definitely need to be reading more, I really enjoyed her writing style.

Alright alright alright - This was an unexpected hit with me. This was not I repeat this was not a fantasy or romance book. It was (imo) adult fiction, with a bit of fantasy, and some (maybe minor) elements/influences of mystery. I was completely immersed in this book, and I connected with the characters more than I expected. I loved it because instead of the normal who dun it book, we all knows who did it. Nash is famously meticulous with character development, and her writing is (again, as always) a wild but really well written ride to the end.

The balance of this book is what makes it - the actual plot was so well aligned with the subplots, and honestly every time I thought I knew what was coming I didn't. Great writing, and as always I'm here for worlds with a more... subtle magic.

A fun, twisty, magical mystery that I did not see coming

Victoria is called home to the small town where she grew up when her mother dies. She needs to tie up the loose ends of her mother’s estate with her sister Phillipa and her brother Liam. Questions begin to come up about the suspicious nature of her mother’s business and whether Rachel Rowan was actually murdered. The siblings are forced to face the effects that their abusive childhood had on each of them and in some cases, seek redemption for past deeds of their own.

The story is a little slow to start and the writing style isn’t my favorite. The author is skimpy on the descriptions, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it just forces the reader to fill in the gaps. The story makes up for it though with great dialogue and a mystery that makes the book a real page turner.

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc of the story in exchange for my honest review.

"This is a place where the odd and the unexplained happen every day."

Ding dong, the witch is dead.

'A Spell of Rowans' definitely was a wild ride! In this novel, we follow the three Rowan siblings as they deal with the aftermath of their mother's death. The death, was by no means viewed as a tragedy, as Rachel Rowan was not beloved by her children, nor the entire town of Grimsby. The Rowan family has always made the rest of the town wary; they did not trust the strange family that appeared to possess unnatural abilities and seemed to leave death in their wake.

The characters were flawed in each of their own ways, but that's what made them feel so real. You could feel the love the siblings had for one another, despite their differences. No matter what, they protected their own. Their family was certainly dysfunctional, and because of that, I would like to throw out a trigger warning for familial abuse (child abuse specifically), as well as for rape (one does not actually occur but there is a scene where it is made to seem a strong possibility).

Overall, I highly recommend this book. There's mystery, drama and dark humor. It was full of magic, twists and turns; surprises that kept you on the edge of your seat. It's a story about heartache, death, family, and redemption as the Rowan's try to clear their family name and make amends for their mother's dark deeds. There was never a dull moment, and the reader is left wanting more after is was all over.