Another fantastic read!! This was a light read but there was so much chemistry! Sometimes you just need a feel good book and this was definitely it. The characters were full developed and the setting made me wish it was fall already.

I loved the witchy vibes and I'll keep reading whatever Lana Harper wants to write.

It’s light and a bit frothy perhaps but I had a genuinely good time reading this (and book one too). The author showed me a good time and made me root for the two protagonists. That’s really all you need in a romance heavy story, to hope the characters get a happy ever after from their choices. I look forward to book three with enthusiasm!

Enemies to lovers. Need I say more?
Okay, I will. I thought this book was super cute! A witchy, rom-com, opposites attract vibe. The magic system/world was easy to follow up also very cool. I also loved the prose and found myself being able to identify more with the characters and how they spoke because of it.

This was good, although I don't think the witch-romance subgenre is for me. I do love witches and have read a few, but none of them have really landed with me. This was still very fun though, and I'll be recommending it to customers. The chemistry between the leads kept me interested.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Have you ever gotten in the mood where you wish the weather was cool, the leaves were falling, and you have a pumpkin spice latte in your hand? No, just me? Well sometimes that is the mood I get into and this book was the perfect read to transport me into fall. Witches, magic in the air, and a festival! instant fall vibes to me. Okay so anyway, Isidora is a likable main character. Rowan is *insert fire emoji here*. I loved the characters, I loved the vibe, and I loved the book. Cannot wait for part 3!

This was such a great read. This book is about a girl who wants to leave her family’s witch business behind and be a fashion designer but dark magic comes into town and Issa needs to investigate why with her archenemy, Rowan. For a second book in the series, I was glad I didn’t have to read the
first book in order to understand the world. The author did such an amazing job with describing the town that it didn’t feel like you were missing out. The story plot I do have to say was a little simple with easy future predictions and being simple. Though with the pacing and setting, the author nailed it with that part. I really enjoyed how much diversity and lgntq+ rep the author had this book because I don’t see it much in paranormal witch book. This book is written in Issa's but also wished for Rowan's.

The main characters in this book are Issa and Rowan. Both are from completely different families but need to solve a mystery together. Issa is such a brave, tough woman who wants to follow her passion and Rowan hates Issa and needs to solve a case. I really enjoyed both characters in this book and thought they were well written. The author did a great job with writing their character development in this book. There are many side characters in this book whom I enjoyed and some I’m guessing are in the first book too just because it takes place in the same world. I enjoyed so many of the side characters in this book especially since it was a mystery, a lot was needed to keep up with the story. The romance in this book is enemies to lovers which I absolutely loved and it’s also one of my favorite tropes. The romance was steamy and just perfect.

The ending was good but not the best plot twist as it was easy to predict. But this book was really enjoyable to read and I’m a huge fan of witch books so I’m not surprised I enjoyed this book. Even though I can be a huge sucker of plot as this one was kind of lacking, the characters and romance
were just perfect so it worked out in my opinion. I did have some minor problems with this book as you have read but overall such an amazing book. It’s a perfect, steamy modern paranormal romance you will need to read. I recommend this to fans of Lucifer and Not the Witch You Wed.

This was a wonderful follow-up to Harper's last book! I enjoyed the characters and the romance. It's such a fun world for this story, and I enjoy all the crazy things that happen! The banter between the characters brings a fun lightness to the story, and I found myself completely immersed in this story!

The writing is witty, it feels light and fast, and there is great representation. This is a sequel, but everything needed seemed well introduced at the beginning. I stopped reading at 12%, and if it continues as it has, definitely an easy three stars for our fantasy readers, and 4-5 for the right readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

This was a fun one.

I really liked the relationship between Isadora and Rowan. I liked that it went from enemies to more and how the long running perceptions they have of each other’s families came to impact their relationship.

I really liked the mystery that they had to work to sold. And I really loved the nods to crime procedurals, especially NCIS (my personal favorite too).

I like how this series shows the witches in modern times and how they balance the expectations/obligations to the families and their own interests.

Definitely recommend.

I was really excited about this romance because I've recently dived into romance whole heartedly this year. I've read titles like The Hex Ex and Payback's a Witch, so From Bad to Worse sounded right up my alley!

Now I don't know if it's because of my previous two witchy reads that I feel this way, but I was not a fan of this book. Yes, it has fun writing like the first book, but my mind just kept comparing it relentlessly to the previous two witchy romances I've read. Nothing about From Bad to Cursed stood out to me sadly, and I never fully cared about Isidora or Rowan, which is the number one reason I read romances. Their enemies to lovers plot didn't even reinvigorate my interest.

Maybe it was partly because Thistle Grove felt different than before that I felt so disconnected? The atmosphere was lackluster and less immersive than Talia's book, but I think that partly had to do with the weaker plot in this installment. At first, I was intrigued about Rowan's cursed family, but at the half way point, I just wanted to fully focus on the romance because the plot wasn't interesting enough. I didn't care a lick. A cursed Avramov family would've been better because I already cared about them, and it didn't help how the Thorn family treated the Avramov's.

Overall, I think this was just a case of not feeling for these characters as much as the previous book. I'm still really excited for the third installment, and I'm hoping it's more my taste than this one.

Harper's sequel of Payback's a Witch brought us back to Thistle Grove and our leading magic families. I love that the romance in this book was set up in her first title and the transition was done perfectly. I felt like I never left Thistle Grove in the first place!

Issa Avramov's family specialize in necromantic magic. When a town festival is interrupted by a dark curse, the Avramov's are the obvious suspects. Not believing it, Issa and her arch-nemesis Rowan Thorne - wildlife hero and nature magic practitioner - team up to discover who cast the spell.

This was a hilarious rom-com with a magical twist. Issa is unappologetic about her heritage and Rowan is as unbending as the trees in his family's orchard. Both will need to set aside some assumptions to figure out what is going on in the magical town of Thistle Grove. I look forward to the next in the series.

While I fully expected to fall in love with this rivals to lovers romance, it ended up being the lowest on my list of faves. Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate it at all! I just ended up loving the character growth of Issa and the world building the most. In From Bad to Cursed, we are treated to more context to the feud in the town. It's a huge element from the first, but here we are given a bit more time to absorb the tension and hatred. There's plenty of action as Rowan and Issa become investigative partners.

But I especially enjoyed how From Bad to Cursed gives even more depth to the first book. Understanding the town and the depths of the conflict provides even more insight into the tensions in this book. Watching how the actions developed and their town traditions has to be my favorite element. At the same time, I enjoyed witnessing Issa have to figure out how to navigate her own future. To balance the family pressure she feels with her own dreams.

A cute witchy romance. I think it would've kept my interest a bit more had I read the first book. As it was, I felt like I'd just been dropped into a town mid-story. I liked the witch lore aspect, even though it sometimes felt a little over done for the relatively simple scope of its genre. Would definitely recommend as a fun fall or Halloween read.

I'm quickly becoming a fan of Lana Harper books.

This was a fun trip through the witchy paranormal. Some serious spells are being thrown about, when something terrible occurs. Enemies have to work together to figure out who is trying to kill witches, and how they will stop them. Of course, Issa and Rowan can't hold back the attraction they have for each other, and the inevitable happens.

This was a spicy wonderful ride through love and mystery. I really loved the pacing and the paranormal lore that was used throughout the story. Another great story by Lana Harper.

3.5 stars

When an evil and dangerous magic is threatening the local Beltane festivities and targets the Thorn family, the Avramov family is quickly marked as suspects. To clear their name, Isidora Avramov agrees to team up with her rival, Rowan Thorn to investigate the evil acts of magic. While unraveling the mystery the unlikely pair find their growing attraction to each other harder to ignore.

Did I ever enjoy being back in Thistle Grove!! I was equally as happy to see many familiar faces from book 1 have a role in this 2nd installment even though the story follows two new characters, Issa Avramov & Rowan Thorn.

The enemies to lovers trope was quite well done in this one, with hot chemistry between Issa & Rowan. I honestly couldn't put this book down!

I enjoyed how easily I could connect with Issa as well. She has panic attacks and struggles with her place in life. It felt so real and made it so easy to feel for her and connect to her character.

This read has some great diversity and representation. Add in a mystery, witches, and ghosts- this was right up my alley. If you enjoy these things, I'd definitely recommend this fun and easy to read story!!

*Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC (ebook) in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

From Bad to Cursed is the sequel to Payback’s a Witch, a series of companion novels that take place in the charming town of Thistle Grove. Thistle Grove is a special place, filled with cute shops, friendly people, and the feeling of magic in the air. Literally. Unknown to the “normies” of the town, the four founding families are all modern day witches who get their magic from the power source in the lake nearby. These families have worked together to protect the town for generations, despite them not always getting along. Such is the case for the Thorns and the Avramovs. The Thorn’s practice Green magic, light and healing and good vibes only. Meanwhile the Avramovs are necromancers, practitioners of Death magic. The two families are complete opposites to each other, and therefore have had a rivalry spanning hundreds of years. Our main characters, Isidora Avramov and Rowan Thorn, have taken this rivalry to the next level due to the rocky past they share, and have barely tolerated each other’s presence for years. But when a member of the Thorn family is viciously attacked by an unknown person using Death magic, Isidora and Rowan are forced by their leaders to work together to find the culprit. What follows is a hilarious romcom filled with laugh-out-loud insults and roasting, drunken adventures, a magical mystery, and a softening between the two characters so slow and reluctant that it will melt your heart while making you laugh hysterically at the same time.

After reading Payback’s a Witch last year and falling in love with the town of Thistle Grove, I was so excited that Lana Harper was planning on revisiting this world. And she did not disappoint! From Bad to Cursed was such a fun romantic comedy (heavy on the comedy), and I had a wonderful time reading it. It was unexpectedly hilarious and had me laughing at nearly every moment, but still with a romance that had me smitten from page one.

The characters are easily the best part of this book, especially our main characters and the budding romance between them. I bought the chemistry between our love interests immediately, well before they even admitted it to themselves. The attraction between them, both physical and emotional, was palpable and left me so excited to see how things were going to develop. From page one, the two spend every moment together hurling insults, but even before they start to actually like each other, it was never done with malicious intent. They make each other laugh, although they both try their hardest to hide the fact that they think the other is hilarious. This is very much an enemies to reluctant friends to lovers trope, which is easily one of my favourite tropes in romance, and one that I don’t see often enough.

The setting and atmosphere is just as good as it was in the first book. I was a little worried at first when I realized that this book takes place in the spring, as the fall setting in the first book was so perfect for Thistle Grove. But the magic is still just as present, and it ended up having a more cottagecore/forest witch feeling to it, which I just adored. I loved the descriptions of their festivals and yearly rituals that they were doing throughout the book; it was so much to learn more about the history of the witches and see more of what they’re all about. I really love the magic system in this world! We got to see more of it in this book, and got to watch Isidora and Rowan explore each other’s magic and teach each other about it. It was fascinating to see the different sides to their magic, and get a more in depth look at how it worked for them, as well as the similarities and differences between them.

In terms of plot, this was possibly the weakest aspect of the story but it was still enjoyable! Rowan and Isidora have to uncover the mystery of who cast the hex that hurt Rowan’s family, and so they have to interview people, follow clues, and try to piece things together. I did find it to be fairly predictable, and even the plot twist at the end didn’t surprise me in the least. I hadn't fully guessed what was going to happen, but I did have a general idea of where the plot was going that ended up being correct. But even with the plot not being the most inventive thing that I’ve ever read in my life, I was okay with that as I was more here for the romance anyways.

Overall, From Bad to Cursed was a fantastic addition to The Witches of Thistle Grove series, and I ended up giving it four stars. It was fun, fast paced, steamy, and just generally a good time. I could definitely see this one becoming one of my favourites in the romance genre!

If you are a fan of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina- you'll love this. And that I am!! It was easy to read, even though I didn't read the first book (yet)

I wasn't a fan of the AAVE and pop culture references as much though- just personal preference!

It was a <b>huge</b> surprise for me! I enjoyed this book <b>so much</b>. There was just something about it that worked for me; but hadn’t quite worked for me in the first book. Maybe this is a sign I need to go back and try the first book again!

Issa was a brilliant character and I <b>LOVED</b> everything about her. She was such a nuanced character, and one that I think people will relate to. (Even if we don’t have any witchy powers, sadly). Issa and her relationship with her family was lovely. The way Harper played out her sisters and her relationship, as well as the relationship with her mother was so well done. I loved that side plot and how it contributed to the book.

And Rowan was SO SO <b>adorable</b>. I loved when he was being so gentle and caring. It made me melt. We didn’t get as much relationship with Rowan and his family, but I like how Harper showed that Issa and Rowan had good, but different, relationships with their parents.

Oh, did I mention that this was an enemies to lovers romance? No? It is. And it is <b>well done</b>. One thing I really appreciated about this book is that miscommunication isn’t a huge trope, but done here, it was done <b>right</b>. I was very impressed with Harper for that.

This isn’t what I would call a super spicy book, it has a few spicy scenes, but by and large the book is focused on the mystery and the relationships between the characters. There are a few plot points that made me laugh, and I just loved how it was opposites attract romance too. Rival families…it pretty much hit on all the things I love.

Harper is also a great writer. It’s bliss to read this book, because the cadence and the pace of the book. Also, there is an atmosphere to this book. It reminds me of a cozy mystery, but with witches. And diversity.

There were a few important conversations had in this book regarding racism and prejudice (Rowan is a Black man).

Talia and Emmy were back (briefly) in this one, so we heard how much they were into each other. It was adorable! (I really do plan to go back and read the first book…)

I will say, Issa felt like such a strong character, but she hits a point in this book where she becomes overwhelmed. I loved the representation of anxiety and trying to deal with it on your own because you’re supposed to be “strong”.

Overall, this was a fantastic read and I highly recommend that you add it to your shelves! I know I want to!

P.S. the title is so cute too. I totally forgot I had DNF’d Paybacks a Witch until I requested this ARC, got approved and went to look. This is what happens when pretty covers and cool descriptions are briefly looked at, and not read all the way through. I guess I didn’t realize this was a sequel. 🙈

I just loved From Bad to Cursed! After a tragic curse hits a witch during a honored celebration in Thistle Grove, demon summoner Issa Avramov and noble do-gooder Rowan Thorne are forced to team up to investigate what happened. This enemies to lovers is so fun. There is something just so good too about Lana Harper’s writing. It’s descriptive and immersive, and I love the magic and the community built in Thistle Grove. While it is a sequel to Payback’s a Witch, this can definitely be read as a stand-alone too, but I did love seeing all these characters again. I also really loved the romance. Issa and Rowan are so different, so I loved the them being forced together to look into what happened and work through their initial impressions of each other. They’re sharp and witty, and their chemistry is so good! They’re characters that challenge each other and I liked watching them get to know each other. I do with there has been a little more vulnerability to Rowan and we could’ve gotten to know him a little more. The story was very Issa focused. But Issa! She is a wonderful narrator, and I liked her own conflict she had with her own family. She is sarcastic and funny and her family relationships were so sweet. I really loved the mystery in this too, the magic system in this series is amazing, with each family having their own specific brand of magic. Overall, just a great read and I can’t wait for the next one to come out!