Another good book from Adrienne young I really enjoyed this one and can’t wait for the story to expand! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Adrienne Young’s atmospheric, highly seasonal adult debut bends and blends genres, perspectives, and time, but the eternal constant is the vaguely atemporal, inscrutable Pacific Northwestern island setting (which I loved dearly).

Spells follows Emery Blackwood and August Salt, as August returns to the island to bury his mother’s ashes some fourteen years after their friend Lily was found dead in the woods and August left for the mainland. Though the case was never solved, the island, apart from Emery herself, has always quietly suspected August of Lily’s murder.

As strange occurrences begin to haunt Emery and August, so does the village begin to stir, unearthing buried secrets and folklore they have long since tried to forget. Eventually, the whole island must confront its history, not least of all August and Emery, who have never quite been able to let each other go.

This book is exactly right for fans of Practical Magic, A History of Wild Places, and all things lying hidden in the forest. A little bit speculative, a little bit mystery-thriller, and a lot of shadows, I’m confident that fans of Adrienne’s YA will settle easily into this debut adult story.

Please note that this book is not for me - I have read the book, However I had to DNF and because i do not like to give negative reviews I will not review this book fully - there is no specific reason for not liking this book. I found it a struggle to read and did not enjoy trying to force myself to read this book.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused and thank you for the opportunity to read this book

If you like Rachel Griffin's magically atmospheric storytelling, you'll love Spells for Forgetting. It's the perfect moody read to settle into once the weather cools.

It follows Emery, who loses both her best friend and the love of her life in one night when he's falsely accused of her murder. Years later, August returns to their small island home and the pair finally uncover what really happened that fateful night.

- A unique take on small-town romance (a rural island rooted in folklore and magic).
- Childhood friends to lovers
- Second chance romance
- Dual timelines
- Murder mystery to solve
- Family dynamics
- Multiple POVs
- Magical realism

This genre-bending book (part romance, part mystery, part magical) is beautifully written in a lyrical style and is also so well-paced. I really enjoyed both the dual timelines and multiple points of view. I feel like this constantly kept me engaged and the plot moving. I also have to admit that I loved the connection between Emory and August. I did not see the ending coming either!

Saoirse is an island with a long magical history and secrets going back just as far.

Emery, August, Lily and Dutch are due to graduate high school with their lives set out in front of them, whether they want it to be or not....when tragedy strikes. Lily is found dead the night of the graduation, and August is the prime suspect. Such accusations will force August and his mother to leave the island, leaving everyone behind... but mostly Emery.

14 years later and they have settled into their lives but never really forgotten how things were when they were kids. August returns to the island to bury his mother and this dredges up a history the island and its people would rather forget

Part second chance love story, part murder mystery with a hint of magic and a ton of secrets. Was a slower start to build up but hard to put down once it got into the details, even with the slower start I was drawn right into the magic and mystery of it all. Really enjoyable book

I really enjoyed this book. I love Adrienne's work and Soells For zforgetting didn't disappointed. The characters were fantastic, it was atmospheric and wonderfully written. Would definitely recommend.

I procrastinated for so long on this book, but I wish I didn’t. The world in really well built as well as the story, you don’t get too much informations at once. All of the characters are so lovable, even the “villians”. All of them has depth to them, but what surprised me was Lily. Usually dead best friends are all the same, but slowly as the story progressed she became an actual character of her own.
This book was probably the best I’ve read in a while, so 5/5.

Not my fave but still a fast paced read with a mystery at its heart and flashbacks throughout. Did feel like the characters as adults sounded like teenagers which was a bit off-putting. It was second chance love but felt like it relied on some magical connection rather than building the reunion.

I loved the spooky setting, but didn't quite get on with how the plot turned out. I still wanted to know what happened hence the 3 stars but was a little disappointed in the drama and secret reveals.

I love this writers’ books so I was super excited to get into this. It didn’t disappoint. The premise was fascinating and I love books set on mysterious islands. There was just enough intrigue to keep me engaged, and the writing was absolutely stunning, so I was so immersed in the atmosphere it was a struggle to return to reality! There were so many interesting characters, but I wish I could have spent more time getting to know them. Overall, a well worthy read with beautiful writing and an incredible setting. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher, for a chance to read and review this book.

When self-exiled August returns to his home port to bury his mother'a ashes, he plans to leave again as soon as her house on Saoirse Island is sold. He and his ex-girlfriend Emery are made to understand that they are to stay away from each other during his visit - no one on the island has forgotten that he was the main suspect in Lily Morgan's murder years ago, or that Emery stood by his side as the islanders agreed to blame him for her best friend's death. But Emery, susceptible to the island's inherent magic, discerns portents of doom in the turning of the leaves the day August sets foot on the hostile shore. Now the people of Saoirse want him gone - once and for all.

Years ago, I had the pleasure of reviewing The Price Guide to the Occult, a book with a similar setting and concept as Spells for Forgetting, but for a younger audience. Adrienne Young has written a more grownup piece of magical realism in comparison, with a big, healthy dose of romance added to the Pacific Northwest aesthetic - so if you enjoyed the former literary example, this one could be this dark season's moody mystery for you, perfect for an audience in their thirties (dear god, I count myself among them now).

While the unsolved murder case of a teenage girl might not hold up under an experienced mystery reader's scrutiny, the second-chance high-school sweetheart romance between pragmatic Emery and outcast August really carried this novel. Young has a way with words and used them to forge a love story that is itself part of the island's magic. An island that, as the seasons change, reveals itself to be the third protagonist of Spells for Forgetting. The menacing presence of a community that can be as supportive as it can be oppressive was expertly transferred to the page. Been there, done that.

Adding Young's entire backlist and her books to be published to my tbr!

Many thanks to Netgalley, Quercus Books and the author, for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Adrienne Young books have been on my TBR for a very long time and I am glad I started with this book.

This book follows the story of August returning to the Soairse, the enchanted island where he was born and raised and at some point was forced to flee. It is clear even before he reaches the island that he is not welcome there. He promises himself and the sheriff there that he will leave as soon as he completes his mothers funeral and disposes the cottage that belonged to her. However, it turns out he is destined to stay there a tiny bit longer enough to dig up the past and solve what really happened all those years ago on that fateful night.

This book was so atmosheric that the incredulity of the plot kind of didn't matter to me. The second chance slow-burn romance between Emery and August under the weight of all the hidden secrets were pretty well done. However, the magic of the isle seemed to be kind of all over the place and so was the pattern of the story as there was multiple point of views and it took me minute to get used to it.

TW: Blood, Death, Murder, Grief, Loss, Betrayal, Torture, Violence, Arson

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I've heard a lot of hype about Adrienne Young but this is the first book I've read. It did remind me a lot of books like We Were Liars and The Cousins, with people stuck on an island trying to solve a mystery, But the element of magic involved was more interesting, and I also liked the fact that all of the characters weren't posh kids! I liked Young's writing style, which definitely kept the momentum of the plot moving, and I enjoyed the characterisation of Emery and August's relationship. I did see a couple of the twists coming but that didn't dampen my enjoyment. A solid contemporary fantasy stand-alone.

This really wasn't for me unfortunately, I felt that although the characters were supposed to be in their 30's they acted like teenagers and the plot was so very slow. I managed to get to 33% but dfn'ed it there as I had no enthusiasm to finish.

Title: Spells for Forgetting
By: Adrienne Young
Pub Date: 27 Sep 2022
Publisher: Quercus Books, Quercus
Genre: General Fiction (Adult)


It has been fourteen years since August Salt has step foot on Saiorse Island, and he is about to wish he didn't. But he had a promise to keep, After all August promised his mother he would bury her ashes on her home Island. However, August knows carrying out this wish may cost him dearly, it may cost him his life. The people of Saiorse Island are very tit for tat like that. August was lucky to escape with his life when he and his mother fled the Island. August was blamed on the death of he friend Lily, and no one wants history repeating its self now that he is back.

Only his childhood sweetheart Emery Blackwood believes that August is innocent, or at least she did when he was gone. Now that he is back she is not so sure she ever really knew him.

August had no plans to clear his name, he just wanted to bury his mothers ashes and be gone. Yet his reappearance has put more than just his life in danger. And now people have been reminded just what it means that August Salt is still alive, and how that must change.

It is obvious even just from the blurb that this was a book that was going to deal with death, betrayal, broken promises, magic and murder. In the end it also dealt with, inheritance, the history of women's martial rights and generation trauma.

A lot of this is shown in the description of the towns traditions and elders. It also touched on xenophobia and anti immigrant sentiment. The Island only put up with tourists because they were the Island's income.


I really wanted to love this book. Having loved Fable I saw this on NetGalley and requested it right away. It sounded right up my ally. Tortured love, magic, a mystery to be solved. Unfortunately this was not the case, so why?!

Firstly, and for me as an Irish person (born and reared in Ireland) naming the Island Saiorse was insulting. Saiorse is one of the most important words in the Irish Language, as it means Freedom. As a country who has tried to over throw colonizers for almost 1,000 years we do not use this word lightly. While it may be a female name here it is not seen as trivial. This is just one of the problems with using a word/language you do not know or understand. (My mother may not have taught me much but she did teach me one thing, Never use a word you don't understand the meaning of.) I think that is true particularly when it is part of a different culture.

The fact that Young used only this Irish word/name and no other goes towards the colonizer attitude of it. No other part of the Island or any family on the Island had Irish names, that I recall. Names of places in the book seemed to me to be all British or American. Again using the word Saiorse to describe an Island that seemed to be cursed and which forced people come back was very insulting. I feel this also shows a lack of research and understanding from Young.

They were other glaring problems even if you were not Irish or knew the meaning of Saiorse. Extreme levels of internalized misogyny were present. Emery is constantly excusing the bad, toxic and down right abusive behavior of D, I would even go so far as to say that Young was romanticizing this behavior. Several times we had Emery apologize to D for something D had done. Even in Emery's inner monologue we heard her think that D deserved better and that she was the one with the problem. As a reader I was shocked that Young when in this direction, even after D physically restrains Emery.

I also felt that there was a lot of "Slut" shaming when it came to Emery and Young provided very little in the way of opposite opinion. Only one of the POV's actually seemed to have any feminist views and even at that some were laced with toxic positivity.

The book did keep me guessing in places, but I figured out both the village secrets and the Lily's murderer long before the end. In fairness I got the reason for the murder wrong but I still knew who did it. The village "secret" was obvious from the start.

I agreed with a review I saw on Good-reads, this should definitely been promoted as a YA. While I thought the book was an easy read, the description, atmosphere and magic elements were all good I couldn't give this book more than a 3. There was just too many problems, and I find myself not wanting to read any more of Young's work. I think if I want to read Namesake and Saint I will be getting them from a Library but that is a very big if.

Would have given this a 4 stars if it was not for the Islands name and probably 5 if it were not for the name of the Island or the misogyny.
All in all disappointing.

This book is something extra.

Just like everything Adrienne Young writes, Spells of Forgetting is a beautifully written book with likable characters and a brilliant story line. Since this is Adrienne Young’s first adult fiction novel it’s a bit different from her other books in that the characters are older, the language a bit more mature and the story line is a little more intricate and mysterious compared to her earlier books.

Spells of Forgetting is the perfect autumn read with its eerie and mystic vibe. Definitely recommend this book and I sincerely hope Adrienne Young will write more adult fiction in the future!

I had wanted to read Spells For Forgetting by Adrienne Young since I first heard about it. It sounded so mysterious, so atmospheric, I knew it was going to be right up my street. And I absolutely loved it!

Saoirse is an insular island. The people have magic, their own traditions and superstitions. They don't like outsiders, and yet depend on the mainlanders who come every autumn to pick apples from the orchard. It's what keeps them afloat. Fourteen years ago, Emery and August were going to leave. They were going to escape and find futures of their own, rather than accept the roles that had been given them.But on the evening before they're due to leave, everything changes. The orchard caught fire, risking the island's livelihood, and Lily, Emery and August's friend, is murdered. The truth about the fire and the murder are never uncovered, but August was the prime suspect. Never changed, he was nevertheless tainted by the accusation, and no-one trusted him. Except Emery. But when the island turns their back on you, and makes your life a misery, there's only one option. August and his mother leave the island - without Emery. Fourteen years later, the island is still haunted by that night. With the return of August to bury his mother's ashes, the hatred and suspicion bubbles up again. And with his return comes strange, unnatural occurrences on the island. It seems Saoirse is finally ready to reveal the truth.

Spells For Forgetting is mainly told in dual perspectives from Emery and August's points of view. Occasionally we get chapters from their perspectives from when they were teens, and occasionally we get chapters in the present day from other characters. This is such a stunning book! You know not everyone is being honest, that people at least know things that have yet to be revealed to the reader. You question everyone, including Emery and August; are they unreliable narrators? #AdrienneYoung has a brilliant way of keeping the reader in the dark, hinting at just enough to keep you turning the pages, with secrets and lies, things just below the surface, without really giving anything away. What actually happened that night? Who killed Lily? What is everyone hiding? It's so beautifully written, and so atmospheric, it was just gorgeous! Plot aside, I really enjoyed simply reading this book, revelling in it. It's all vibes, and those vibes are everything I want. Plus there's Emery and August's relationship. Their love was all encompassing. This epic love alongside Young's writing, it's just stunning. The yearning! The heartbreak! The chaos! I adored it!

As I said, Young manages to keep everyone's cards close to their chests until it's time to reveal them, so you're turning the pages wondering what the hell is going on. When the answers do come, there are some, "Ooooh!" moments. I did have a strong theory as to what happened to Lily, which was correct, but I never figured out the how or the why. And there were other aspects I found quite shocking. It's the kind of book that will always stick with me because of the vibes, so I've been thinking about it the past few days, and I have to be honest, there are something that just don't hold up to scrutiny. It doesn't make sense to me, given who the people on the island are and what is their norm, that the cause of Lily's death was never a consideration in the first place. Once you're aware of certain details, I feel like it's pretty obvious, but it isn't to anybody on the island. And with the other reveals, I had other questions. I could maybe understand the reasons behind certain things that happened in the past, but not about what happens present day. An antagonist's motivations in the present day just felt kind of flimsy, given the situation they find themselves in. Unless it was because of obsession, and they just couldn't let it go.

But it's not exactly clear, because the reveal happens so quickly, and then we're at the epilogue. Which I found quite frustrating, because I was left with certain questions. The real and actual truth comes out, and I would very much like to have known what the consequences of that were for the wider community of Saoirse, and all the other reveals that would have an impact, but we're never told. The focus is more on Emery and August, and what the truth means to them - for them. And yes, I was satisfied with that. But I definitely feel like there should have been more of a conclusion. So much is left open. Perhaps there are plans for a companion novel, I don't know. But that would definitely be my hope, because I want those answers. And there was another smaller thing that I was slightly disappointed in, and that is, for an island where the women have magic and family spell books, and real earthy witchcraft, there is quite the lack of magic actually taking place in this story. Honestly, I feel the magic could be removed, and certain elements rethought to a degree, and the story would still stand. I just expected and wanted more, especially with Spells in the title.

If you want a book that has a real thought out mystery that's tightly plotted and makes sense, and a lot of witchcraft, maybe give Spells For Forgetting a miss. However, if you're looking for a book that is all vibes and atmosphere and stunningly beautiful writing that you can float away on, Spells For Forgetting isn't one to miss. For all my issues with it, I bloody loved it, and I'll definitely read more by Young if she writes more books in a similar vein.

Thank you to Quercus via NetGalley for the eProof.

Trigger/Content Warnings: This book features recreational drug use, sex shaming, sex scenes - one semi-vague & one not overly detailed, death of a parent, arson, a person being burnt in a fire, alcoholism, child abuse - violent, and domestic violence.

Spells for forgetting was a book full of suspense. I couldn't put it down. Everything was a mystery.

This book is a dark and somewhat spooky read.

I loved how Emery and August characters changed through out the book. It was great to see them both together and the apples never leaving them too.

I'm sorry, but this is a no from me.
Like I genuinely tried but I couldn't continue reading this as absolutely nothing held my attention and I never got past the 25%.
Best of luck y'all.

It was quite boring, repetitive and uneventful which is just a recipe for disaster in my opinion.
For a supposedly Adult book, it read very much like YA even though the characters are supposed to be in their early to mid thirties.
Said characters felt quite boring and honestly gave nothing to me.

The only aspect I actually did enjoy about this book is how atmospheric it is and the magical island element was a nice touch but that's about it.

I was absolutely ecstatic when I received the approval for Adrienne Young's book, as I'm a big fan of her work.
Unfortunately, my heart was squeezed with disappointment.
On one hand, I adored the atmosphere that was gripping and intriguing.
The plot idea was brilliant, and I loved how the island was portrayed as a magical thing by itself.
Alas, the result got me underwhelmed, and I wished it was more.
I would've loved if the magic was a more dominant thing in the story and the island should've got a bigger role.
The lyrical deviations in my opinion were too much to the point where I started to struggle to keep track on the plot and dragged on unnecessarily the whole story.
Sadly, from the beginning, I couldn't feel the connection between Emery and August.
We get their backstory much later, so we can't feel and grasp the significance of all that is unfolding between them in the beginning when he's back on the island, and that leaves you as a detached spectator.
I absolutely hate and try to avoid negative reviews because behind every book that we get there's a lot of work. But I am sad for the missed opportunity with this interesting story.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book, and despite my disappointment, I remain a huge fan of Adrienne Young's work.

A solid 4.5🌟
Omg what did I just read! This book sucked me in from the first page. Go gripping. This book is very dark and atmospheric. Full of twists turns and lots of secrets I absolutely loved Emory and August's story and the mystery of the island. This was my first book by Adrienne Young and I can't wait to try more I loved her writing style.