A great second book in this series! I think I liked this one even more than the first book - I found Isa a really interesting main character and I'm always here for opposites attract & enemies to lovers. Very fun!

A spark-inducing rivals-to-lovers romance centered on magic wielders is all I really ever want. Thistle Grove is such a well realized place, it - and all the characters and their messy legacy - feel real.

📚BOOK REVIEW: From Bad to Cursed, by Lana Harper

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/5

I found this book really quick and fun. I liked our two main characters, found the plot compelling (I LOVE when the actual plot of a romance is interesting and doesn’t just exist to facilitate the romance, and this book’s plot is mysterious and witchy in the best way), and was excited to be back in Thistle Grove. The book had delightful spring vibes and was overall a quick fun read.

My only complaint is that the romance felt a little underdeveloped for me. While I enjoyed each character individually, the romance developed a bit too fast. The shift from “I hate them but I’m attracted to them” to “they’re not nearly who I thought they were and I am falling for them” was just a bit fuzzy for me. I enjoyed their hatred and banter and I enjoyed them together, but the transition between those two states just wasn’t sold for me.

Still, this book was fun, fast paced, and a really enjoyable quick read. If you liked book one I think you’ll enjoy being back in Thistle Grove, and I’ll definitely be checking out the next instalment in this series!

I previously had the good luck to get an ARC of the first book in the series, Payback's a Witch, by Lana Harper, and I gave it a whopping five stars! It was witchy and funny and sexy, so obviously I jumped at the chance to get my hands on the sequel! Unfortunately, I didn't like this one quite as much.

Isidora "Issa" Avramov comes from a long line of badass, darkly-inclined witches, but has her own softer side as well, one that yearns to design her own ready-to-wear, sustainable fashion. She also loves animals, and at eighteen she worked at a shelter. Unfortunately for her, goody-two-shoes and green magic expert Rowan Thorn also worked there and certainly lived up to his name--he was a thorn in Issa's backside the whole time she was there, until finally she snapped and served up some magical retribution.

Now, Issa and Rowan see each other as enemies, just as their families have for generations. But when a necromantic curse--the Avramov family's specialty--is cast on a Thorn, leaving the girl weak and with hardly any magic, they must come together to get to the bottom of who could have the motive and means to create such deadly magic. And even more shocking, Issa thinks she might like Rowan. Like Rowan.

I was really excited to sink my teeth into this book, mostly because the Avramov's were the most fascinating of the families to me, and the heroine, Isidora, is Talia's little sister (Talia was my favorite part of Payback's a Witch!). Rowan started off a bit one-dimensional, something a lot of the characters outside of the protagonist face, and just when I thought he was getting a bit more depth, I felt he went right back to his old ways (which is pretty much perfect, might I add). They had a cute relationship, and I liked how much they talked things out to resolve conflict. Unfortunately, I ended up feeling like the mystery and history of Thistle Grove was just overall more exciting than the romance in this installment.

But please, if you loved the first one, give this one a go as well. If anything, it'll produce some laughter and sunshine for your day, along with a lot of snark and spells!

As a general rule, I do not read paranormal, fantasy, or anything of the like--I'm a contemporary romance and mystery gal at heart, and I've been reading long enough I'm pretty set in my ways. But when I read the blurb for the first book in this series, Payback's a Witch, I knew I had to pick it up--and I devoured in it a few hours. With enough romance for a contemporary romance reader like me, but tons of excitement and adventure, this book was on the edge of my comfort zone in the best way possible. Perhaps my childhood love of Bewitched is surfacing, but I love this series, and I loved this book.

In a fantastic follow-up to its predecessor, book two has Isidora Avramov working with rival witch Rowan Thorn to investigate a rouge cursing. Of course, all the time spent together brings these two closer together, but also puts a bigger target on one of their back's by the mystery curser. With the same vibes and voice coming through as in the first book, but totally new characters, mysteries, and resolution, I was loving the whole thing--and cannot wait for the next book!

Thanks to Berkley for my eARC and finished copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

From Bad to Cursed is a fun, charming novel, mixing magical realism with rom-com. Isidora Avramov is a member of one of the powerful family of witches living in Thistle Grove. In her day-to-day life, Issa designs costumes and storylines for Avramov’s haunted house while also dreaming of a career of her own, but when a member of the magical community is attacked and the suspicion falls on the Avramovs, Issa has to take action. She has to team up with Rowan Thorn, her arch-nemesis who is tasked with investigating the attack, but she quickly learns that the line between hate and love is very thin.

From Bad to Cursed is the second installment in The Witches of Thistle Grove series, and while I recommend reading the first book beforehand, this part also works as a standalone. I had some issues with Payback’s a Witch that I’m happy to report were pretty much resolved in this book. The stakes were much higher, the characters felt three-dimensional and we learn more about the family I found the most interesting. The relationship between Issa and Rowan was amazing, I loved how natural their growth felt and the level of spice was simply perfect. The pacing was much better and the plot, while still making space for the romance, was tense and it really pulled me in. I’m so impressed with how much more I liked this book and I can’t wait for the next part!

TLDR: From Bad to Cursed is a thrilling and bewitching novel, perfect for anyone who loves strong female characters, the enemies to lovers trope, and a unique magical world building.

From Bad to Cursed is the second book in The Witches of Thistle Grove series. It could
probably be read as a stand-alone but I recommend reading Payback’s a Witch first!

Wild child Isidora Avramov gives off evil sorceress vibes, probably because she summons demons for fun, but inside she’s cuddly. Issa is living a life stuck behind familial duty and her own dreams of becoming a fashion designer. That takes a backseat when someone is casting dark magic in Thistle Grove and Issa has to team up with her archnemesis Rowan Thorn to figure out what’s going on. Rowan is lawful good and can’t help but to clash with Issa. But as they work together, sparks fly, and they realize that they really don’t know each other.

From Bad to Cursed had a perfect witchy blend of humor, steam, and seriousness. I loved how chaotic Issa was and how serious Rowan was, they balanced each other out. The sexual tension was palpable and the chemistry was written so beautifully. I loved watching these two knuckleheads realize that they probably most definitely don’t hate each other.

I loved the witchcraft elements in this book. I felt fully immersed in Thistle Grove and the story. I was frantically reading to find out who was responsible for the curse and how it was going to work out.

I cannot wait for Back in a Spell! This series is wonderful.

Thank you to Berkley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this even better than the first one. I actually think what I like most about this series doesn't really have anything to do with the featured romances. I just like this world, and I like that Lana Harper is creating a fictional place that is not just full of eccentric townspeople and coziness, as one expects from a small town romance series, but also continues to flesh out the history of Thistle Grove, how the magic works there, and the dynamics between the four families. There is an actual fantasy plot in here, just like the first book!

Here, the romance is between Talia's sister Isidora Avramov, and Rowan Thorn, who are shoved together in an investigation after a Beltane ritual is sabotaged by dark magic. Issa has disliked Rowan intensely ever since her stint volunteering for the local animal shelter ended in her dismissal, and she was only volunteering. She knows that Rowan doesn't like her because she's an Avramov. And Issa is sick of feeling judged for being a "wicked Avramov", especially when she is feeling guilty for not wanting to be involved in the family business anymore. She wants to strike out on her own, but fears her family's reaction if she does.

I was surprised by how creepy this book was, and not that it was terrifying or super dark or anything, just much darker than I had been expecting. I liked the way the darkness here and the central mystery plot lent the whole thing stakes (Rowan and Issa are investigating who is sabotaging Beltane after Rowan's cousin is seriously injured, magically and physically). Especially since there were a couple of moments where the central pairing got less interesting for me, the plot and the town kept me intrigued even when other things were at more of a lull.

I am actually really excited for the third book, which will feature Nineve Blackmoore (who we meet in this book) and the genderqueer owner of the Shamrock bar, Morty. The premise on that one sounds super intriguing to me in a way the first two didn't, and I liked them quite a bit.

Lana Harper’s second witchy romance is a knockout winner full of chemistry, magic and hope.

It’s no secret that Lana’s first book in The Witches of Thistle Grove series, Payback’s a Witch (link to review) was one of my favourite reads of 2021. Could the second book live up to my hopes and wishes? The answer is a resounding yes. Lana takes us back to Thistle Grove where we are thrown back into the witch families that build their lives and maintain their magic in the sweetest small town imaginable. Talia, one of the MC’s from book one is still here, but it’s her little sister Isidora (Issa) who we root for in this book. Issa is feeling stuck in life; she has hopes and dreams but is feeling constrained by not wanting to let her family down by leaving. Bored and listless, she calls up demons for fun and dreams about launching her own fashion line. One thing that energizes her is her sworn enemy Rowan Thorn, a witch and a veterinarian whom Issa loves to hate. Their savagely fierce relationship is strained when they suddenly have to work together to figure out why a curse (Issa’s family specialty) is threatening the health of the Thorn family and Thistle Grove. The book is a fabulous read. Because Lana has already set up the world in Payback’s a Witch, she could really dive into fleshing out the four founding witch families in Bad to Cursed. While it’s not necessary to read book one before book two, I would recommend it.

Is there anything better than enemies to lovers? You don’t have to answer that - in my heart the answer is always yes. And oh boy, does Lana build out an enemy to lover’s relationship that strained my heart with wicked joy. Issa and Rowan have some serious history and their mutual dislike creates such a lovely friction as we watch them stumble through working together to figure out what is going on in their town. That friction, as you can imagine, turns into a steamy burn throughout the book. While I won’t give anything away, watching Issa and Rowan fall for each other is such a delight. They are nuanced characters dealing with family expectations, dreams and desires. Could it be that instead of being sworn enemies, they are guilty of some prejudices? You’ll have to read the book yourself to figure it out. Rowan and Isidora have an interracial relationship which was thoughtfully discussed in the book. There’s a bit of a slow burn to their romance which made me feel so needy - when they did finally get together I was so darn happy for them! Lana’s love scenes are quickly becoming some of my favourite.

Both Rowan and Issa of course have some growing to do throughout the book. For me, Issa’s growth was the most profound, and I think she’ll really touch readers. Issa is 25 and going through a quarter life crisis: she has a job that she likes with her family business, and making her mother proud is one of her biggest goals in life. But she has other goals and dreams that she is afraid of following because they could fail, and she could sever relationships with her family. So instead of dealing with these fears, she self sabotages in some spectacularly witchy ways. I think a lot of people will see facets of themselves in Issa. She could have easily veered off into a dramatic stereotype but Lana layers her with heart and wit and she is very vulnerable and real. She’s a standout character for me.

Thistle Grove is quickly becoming one of my favourite places to visit. It’s a charming small town filled with witchy tourist attractions (for all the regular humans like us). We get to learn more about the four main families in town and their magical businesses in the book. A stand out scene from me is when Isidora and Rowan visit his family’s orchards and Isidora learns about the different personalities that plants, flowers and trees have.

If you like a bit of paranormal in your romance and enjoy some mystery, then you need to pick up From Bad to Cursed.

From Bad to Cursed is the second installment in the Witches of Thistle Grove series following Payback's a Witch. This sequel doesn't focus on Emmy and Talia's relationship but rather on the rivalry between Isidora Avramov and Rowan Thorn and their families. They're the opposite of each other in the sense that the Thorns practice Green Magic and all things good while the Avramovs practice Death magic and necromancy. However, when one of the Thorns is attacked by someone using death magic, the leaders of the Thorn and Avramov families force Isidora and Rowan to work together and find out who does it.

I adored Payback's a Witch and was excited when I found out there was going to be a sequel. After Payback's a Witch, I was curious about what had gone on between Isidora and Rowan and this did not disappoint. It was such a fun read and definitely left me wanting more.

I would say this book was more character-driven than the plot. Don't get me wrong I do love the characters, the budding romance, and seeing how well they complement each other even though they try to deny it. Also, I'm a huge sucker for the enemies-to-lovers trope in novels.

As with the first book, I really loved how Harper continues to show us the setting through the senses and make us feel as if we're a part of this small magical town. Unlike the first book which was set in the fall, this is set in the spring and Harper makes it feel just as magical. Absolutely loved how more of the witches' history was told and gave us glimpses of festivals/rituals they partake in.

As mentioned, the book was more character-driven than the plot. The plot felt a little predictable, however, I still enjoyed myself. Overall, I was here for the romance and it did not disappoint.

From Bad to Cursed brings us back to Thistle Grove and the witches that we came to love in Payback's a Witch. This book highlights Isidora Avramov and Rowan Thorn, and while the conflict between these two was hinted when we first met them in book one I was excited to learn more about them. This is an enemies to lovers/opposites attract romance which will always be one of my favorite tropes. I loved being inside Isidora's brain as she struggled to come to terms with who she was as a person vs the expectations set upon her by her family, and who the other witches expected her to be based solely on her last name. Just like in book one, Lana Harper has crafted an inclusive cast of characters while still highlighting the struggles that these characters will go through based on their race, sexual orientation, gender identity, and more. I appreciate the care she takes handling difficult topics such as anxiety and unconscious bias.

I loved getting to learn more about the Avramov's in this book (as they are probably the family that I most identify with) but getting to learn more about (Rowan Wildlife Hero) Thorn with a side of steam didn't hurt either! I am looking forward to returning to the Thistle Grove world for future books and recommend this to anyone who is looking for a spooky/witchy new adult read. (Also is it just me or does anyone else REALLY want to try the fun cocktails mentioned in this book - Thistle Grove recipes please!)

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Oh wow! Lana Harper really knows how to write a book that packs a wickedly romantic punch!

I adored Payback’s A Witch. I “patiently” waited weeks for chance to listen to the audiobook. And I LOVED the book so much!

From Bad to Cursed, the second book in the paranormal romance series: The Witches from Thistle Grove series is here with all the witchy vibes. It has a slow building romance that doesn’t disappoint.

From Bad to Cursed may possibly be better than Payback’s A Witch. I did not think that was possible, but the magic, the mystery, and the thrill the story captured my attention from the first chapter. From Bad to Cursed is a modern-day Romeo and Juliet story with magical powers and mystery.

Like the first book, From Bad to Cursed is a paranormal romance with all the witchy vibes and a slow building romance that won’t disappoint. Unlike the first book, From Bad to Cursed a is modern-day Romeo and Juliet story with magical powers and mystery.

The best part of this book is that you don’t have to read Payback’s A Witch to enjoy it. However, you should read it! Seriously though, go read it now if you haven’t already.

If you enjoy paranormal romance, enemies-to-lover, forbidden romance, or forced proximity then this magical world is sure to cast a spell on you!

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for gifting me a copy of this magical eARC!

What happens when a prickly wild child has to team up with her grumpy, brooding arch nemesis to solve a mystery and clear her family name of wrongdoing?

Pure delight, that's what! I likes this second book even more than the first. I definitey recommend reading this magical, inclusive series!

Welcome back to Thistle Grove! The sequel to last year’s delightful Payback’s A Witch is here, and once again author Lana Harper has brought that perfect balance of magic and romance, this time with a dash of mystery to keep things interesting.

Months after the events of Payback’s A Witch, the four magical families of Thistle Grove are preparing for springtime, specifically the events leading up to and surrounding Beltane. At the first event of the season, meant to select the ceremonial Queen, a malevolent curse is unleashed, stripping one of the contestants of her magic and destroying all nearby plant life.

Tasked with investigating the strange occurrence are Rowan Thorn, cousin to the affected witch, and Isidora Avramov, whose family’s reputation for dabbling in the dark makes them the prime suspects. In the interest of fairness, Isa and Rowan agree to conduct the investigation together and agree not to dispute the verdict, no matter what they find.

Complicating matters are the fact that the two of them have something of a history. Seven years earlier, Rowan was Isa’s supervisor at the local animal shelter and according to her harboured an unreasonable grudge against her. In the time since, he has built up in her head to be sanctimonious and hard to work with.

It’s a real shame about that whole “growing attraction for each other” thing.

As with the first book in the Thistle Grove series, the magic and lore of the town is every bit as important to the story as the central romance. The histories of the families who make up the town’s magical population is examined from a new lens this time around, and draws on what the reader is already familiar with without ever feeling repetitive.

As a couple, Isa and Rowan are a delight. They feel like two sides of a coin, embodiments of dark and light, death and life. Neither side is ever presented as a negative, at least not in a way that is not later examined and dismissed. They both fill a role in the natural cycle and they love each other for it.

This time around the story still maintains its overall small-town Hallmark feel, but with a lush, fantasy feel to it, full of beautiful starlit, candlelight imagery that just adds to the sweeping, romantic, even nostalgic feel of it all.

Fans of the first book will be happy to know we do check in a little with Emmy and Talia, and with more books coming from this series, I’m happy to know I don’t have to say goodbye to Thistle Grove any time soon.

This book was so good. Just like the first book, this story is so much more than a romance. It deals with family and friendships and finding your true purpose in life.

The writing is absolutely fantastic. The descriptions are so vivid that I can see everything clearly playing out in my head. I really need this series to be adapted for TV.

This story is told from Isidora’s POV and while I generally prefer to read books in dual POV the writing was so good that I didn’t even feel like it mattered that we only got one POV.

I was really glad that we still got to see quite a bit of Talia and Emmy since the heroine in this story is Talia’s sister.

My biggest issue with this book was that it ended on a HFN, because I get the sense that we won’t get to see these characters much in the next book because the main character in that story is from the Blackmoore family.

CW: Panic Attacks

Thistle Grove continues to be the small Midwestern town of your diverse, contemporary, witchy romance dreams!

In this latest installment, powerful dark sorceress Isidora (Issa) Avramov has to partner with her nemesis, the disgustingly noble and handsome, I mean… wholesome green magic user Rowan Thorn. They're investigating a decidedly unwholesome hex that badly injured a Beltane festival queen candidate. A hex associated with the Avramov family. A candidate from the Thorn family. With magics and personalities that mix like oil and water, can Issa and Rowan find a way to uncover the truth before the growing danger destroy them, their families, and the safety of Thistle Grove?

This is a fun, moderately steamy read with a main character who is allowed to be a whole complicated, strong, dark, powerful, chaotic, creative, cuddly, sweet person — who is finding her way in the world. Her love interest isn't quite as well developed but feels like a good, solid, trustworthy, swoon-worthy match. The characters are mid-twenties (I think?), but overall it reads like new adult to me — which isn't a criticism, since I think it's definitely a niche that needs filling.

One Sentence Summary: When a Thorn witch is badly hurt by an Avramov curse at the beginning of the town’s Beltane celebrations, wild child Isidora Avramov is teamed up with the achingly good Rowan Thorn to investigate, but their intense attraction to each other could be a stumbling block.

Overall
From Bad to Cursed is the second in the Witches of Thistle Grove series featuring the witches of the four founding witch families of Thistle Grove. It broadens the world and adds to the history of the Midwestern town. This book focuses on Issa Avramov and Rowan Thorn, whose opposite magics sound like they shouldn’t work well together, but these two, who also have a history that made them loathe each other, are just meant to be. Their romance was sweet and fun, but it really speaks to what an amazing person Rowan is. But the mystery didn’t necessarily take a backseat to the romance. It was present throughout and, while not twisty and layered, had a nice progression that had the characters exploring family and town history. The magic, mystery, and romance all worked really well together and I found this to be a fun witchy, non-Halloween read.

Extended Thoughts
Beltane is approaching, and the four witch families of Thistle Grove, a small witchy town in Illinois, are preparing. It starts with a competition to select the May Queen who will lead their events up to Beltane and the town’s Flower Moon Festival. But, when Holly Thorn, because Thorns with their life magic always become the May Queen, is hit by a curse that affects her magic, suspicion automatically falls on the Avramovs and their necromantic magic as the curse was one of theirs.

To find out what happened, Rowan Thorn, scion of the Thorn family, and Isidora Avramov, the wild child in the Avramov family who also has a history with Rowan, are teamed up. With mutual loathing, they agree to set aside their differences to find out who cursed Holly and to keep anyone else from being hurt, but there’s a fine line between love and hate.

From Bad to Cursed is the second in the Witches of Thistle Grove series and is set a few months after the events of the first book, Payback’s a Witch. Where the first book focused on the romance between Emmy Harlowe and Talia Avramov, this one focuses on Issa Avramov, Talia’s younger sister, and Rowan Thorn. Since the first book was light on the revenge and heavy on the romance, I expected this one to be light on the mystery and heavy on the romance. But I was pleasantly surprised to see that all the elements were very well balanced. The mystery, fantasy, and romance blended together perfectly, none overtaking the story and all somehow contributing to a fascinating story of family and feuds. This was a very fun witchy read that is perfect for spring.

First of all, it was wonderful to get back to Thistle Grove. A small Midwestern town full of witches and no-magical people, called normies, it felt warm and fun, and I loved reading about how the glamour spells all over the place kept the normies and visitors from realizing there’s real magic all around them. It’s such a simple fix for the problem of how to blend magical and non-magical people, and I really enjoyed reading about how it worked as magic is happening all over town right in front of the normies. But I really love that the town embraces all things witchy, from the stores and their offerings to the entertainment provided as well as the very witchy decoration and atmosphere in a certain bar. It was a lot of fun and I love how everyone there just embraces all things magical, even if they don’t know it’s actually real there. It was so nice to explore Thistle Grove again and get to see more of The Bitters, where the Avramovs live, and the Honeycake Orchards, where the Thorns live. Thistle Grove really comes alive in my mind and I really like how homey and fun it feels. But my favorite part was discovering more of the history of Thistle Grove and the founding families. Since the Avramovs are at the center of suspicion, we really get to know more of their family.

From Bad to Cursed is focused on Issa and Rowan and their unlikely romance. Issa is a thrill seeking, demon summoning sorceress who loves her family’s necromantic magic and is used to being surrounded by shades. She doesn’t take much stock in following the rules, but struggles against the role her family has put her in in their family business. She and her cousin run the haunted house and she’s in charge of designing the costumes and stories, but she would much prefer designing clothes. Then there’s Rowan with his powerful life magic who has a strong empathetic bond with his family and follows the rules as much as Issa is interested in breaking them. They’re complete opposites, but tension hums between them. I really liked that they felt natural together, that I could actually believe their romance. There was a good deal of maturity to their evolving relationship and a great deal of acceptance and understanding of each other as people and as witches with opposite magics. I was surprised by how much I loved them together, and how the romance just didn’t completely overtake the story, but was woven into the mystery really well.

From Bad to Cursed features the mystery of who is targeting the Thorn family, and Issa’s intention of clearing her family from suspicion. As a mystery, it did leave some things to be desired. It felt more linear than twisty and turny as I’ve come to expect mysteries to be. There were definitely a couple of layers put in that Issa and Rowan had to investigate, but, with the Beltane events and the romance woven in alongside it, it wasn’t the sole focus so wasn’t as twisty and layered as it could have been. Still, it was fun to read and to follow along. Issa and Rowan followed the clues, agreeing to interview everyone the case led them to. I liked that it was very present throughout the story, and that Issa and Rowan continued to have to work together even when things got a little awkward between them.

What I loved best about this book was the underlying softness to the whole story. Since Issa is the one telling the story, there’s every opportunity for it to be a little wild and a little prickly. But Issa is just as conflicted as any other young adult and Rowan, being a few years older and more settled, becomes something of an anchor for her. There’s something very calm and soothing about his magic and his family as a whole. It paired perfectly with the spring season, but also offered everything Issa needed. I loved everything about the Thorn family and the gentle love they spread not just within their family but to all who needed it was really lovely. The story ended up having a very soft undertone, one that did have it’s prickly points, but the Thorn family was overall just so lovely that it felt like it bled into all other aspects of the story.

From Bad to Cursed perfectly balanced the magic, the mystery, and the romance for me. I loved how well each element blended with the others, and I really liked how the ending linked back to the first book, so I’m interested to see if anything from this book might make an appearance in the next book. But my favorite part was seeing just how normal Issa is. Just like many young adults, she’s struggling to find her place, struggling to please her mother and family even when her heart is somewhere else. It was fantastic how it was woven in, both being a feature of the story without becoming a main point.

From Bad to Cursed was a really fun read. It felt witchy without feeling like a Halloween read. It really highlighted how magic and witches are for more than just Halloween and fall. Some of the spring events sounded like a lot of fun, and the food all sounded really good as well. I loved that everything in this story felt like it came alive to me and that the characters felt consistent and never acted out of character. It was just well-balanced to me and I adored Issa and Rowan.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

(4.5 rounded up to a 5)

From Bad to Cursed is the sophomore entry in The Witches of Thistle Grove paranormal fantasy romance series by Lana Harper. The ebook version is 368 pages. We follow our main character with first-person point-of-view.

We follow Isadora, the wild child demon summoner of the Avramov family and younger sister to family scion Talia, who was one of our main characters in the first book in the series. She works full-time designing costumes and storylines for her family's Arcane Emporium haunted house, but her heart is calling her to become an indie fashion designer and break away from the family business. During preparations for the town's Beltane festival, things keep being sabotaged, and the town elders decide to appoint co-investigators to get to the bottom of things. Isadora is chosen by the Avramov family, as dark magic was used as a hex, and their family is under the greatest suspicion. Her co-investigator is none other than Rowan Thorn, lawful good nature boy, and also Issa's archenemy. Their families also have a complicated history that they have to navigate.

This usually doesn't happen to me with the second book in a series, but I definitely liked this one better than the first entry! Getting to know the Avramov family was a treat, and I would love to read future novels about Issa's siblings. I really enjoy Lana Harper's prose; at this point she's become one of my auto-buy authors. I'll have to check out her YA books, which she writes under the name Lana Popović. Everything is so smoothly written! I'm sure the audiobook version will also be wonderful, since they have the same narrator (Jeremy Carlisle Parker) as the first book who did an amazing job. The covers are also super well done for this series.

In her Acknowledgements, the author notes that she had sensitivity readers for this book, which is something I love to see! At the back of the book, there is a Readers Guide with questions for discussion, which I always personally appreciate because I like thinking deeply about something I've just read. There's also a sneak preview of the the first three chapters of the third book in the series, Back in a Spell.

Tropes in this book include: enemies to lovers, queer side characters, nonbinary side characters, interracial romance

CW: description of panic attacks, talk about racism/classism/other -isms, ghost possession

Special thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book for me to review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

The following review was posted today, Sunday, May 15th, 2 days before publication. It will be shared on Twitter and Instagram between today and the publication date (Tuesday, May 17th), but the review has already been posted on Goodreads. The blog post includes links to pre-order the books and to its Goodreads page, so readers can add it to their to-be-read books.


Genre: Romance, Fantasy
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Content Warnings: Mentions graphic injuries, violence, and panic attacks.

“From Bad to Cursed” is the second book in the The Witches of Thistle Grove series, but it does not follow the narrator from the first book, Emmy Harlow. This time around, we’ll be following Isidora—Issa—Avramov, a demon-summoning witch who’s part of the (current) strongest Thistle Grove founding family. After someone tries to sabotage the Beltane Festival with dark magic, people suspect it was her family’s magic at work right away. That’s why she’s appointed to search for the culprit alongside Rowan Thorn, a noble and ethical member of another of the founding families—and who’s most definitely her archnemisis and has been for years now. Forced to work together, will their loathing turn to different types of tension? You’ll have to grab this book and see.

I understand that this book is sold as part of a series, but I honestly feel like it could work well as a stand-alone. Like it wouldn’t really matter the order in which you read these books, you’d be able to appreciate both stories no matter which you’ve read first. But trust me, as soon as you read one, you’ll want to read the other. Thistle Grove is such a cozy, warm setting. I personally wouldn’t mind living there—or reading 10 more stories set in it either. I gave this book a higher rating than the first installment in the series because I liked this plot so much better.

I loved Issa’s ambition, as she wants to divert from her family’s business and open up her own fashion store. I loved Rowan’s consistency throughout the book. I loved how we got a sneak peek of the romance pretty early on, before we were 40% through the book. Sadly, “From Bad to Cursed” does not have the LGBTQIA+ aspect that the previous book had going for it, but I must say the romance aspect of this second installment is still heartwarming and fun.

I would recommend this book to fans of the close-proximity troupe and for all who enjoyed the character dynamics and setting of the first book in this series: “Payback’s a Witch”. And get ready, because this isn’t the last we’ll see of Thistle Grove, as a third book is announced in the end of this one. I am beyond excited.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Berkley Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: May 17, 2022

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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The second installment in Lana’s Thistle Grove series is here! From Bad to Cursed brings us back to Issa and Rowan’s story, which we got a taste of in the first book. Issa is the baby of the Avramov family whereas Rowan is the scion of the Thorne family and… well.. they have history. Their paths become even more intertwined when a curse that belongs to the Avramov family hits one of Rowan’s cousins during a spring celebration, and Issa and Rowan are selected by their respective families to get to the bottom of it & find who cast the curse.
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Things I loved: Issa and Rowan’s banter, the scenery (especially the heart tree at the Thorne estate), the enemies to lovers plot, and getting to see Talia and Emmy again. I appreciated the growth that Issa had to show, especially from hating Rowan to falling for him and realizing that a lot of the depth of their feud was on her own end.
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I found this book to be heavier on the world building and did have to re-read certain scenes to keep track of all of the events, new characters, and new vocabulary. I also struggled with believing that any 20-something would talk or communicate the way that they do, but it’s kind of endearing.
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All in all, I loved this one! I’m so excited for the next installment and love getting to enjoy witchy stories year-round.
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Thank you to Berkley Publishing & NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!