A fun, thrilling, heartwarming YA cowboy fantasy novel! A bit cliche at some points, but self aware enough to make it a laugh, this book created an interesting magical world and left it open to a mysterious sequel.

I forgot to leave a review for this, but I really enjoyed it! It's been out for ages, so I won't say much more than I need to for my star rating. <3

Jason June is one of the few authors I would read anything and this book is not an exception! Queer love, lasso moments and so many twists I'm still reeling!

Unfortunately, I couldn't bring myself to finish this one.

There's nothing wrong with it exactly. It seems that Jason June is a hit or miss for me. I loved his writing in "Out Of The Blue", which is why I requested "The Spells We Cast" in the first place, but it fell flat for me here. While the blurb had initially sparked my interest, the execution of the story didn't end up being my thing.

I didn't get particulairly far, so the main character might have had a character arc and become less annoying, I wouldn't know.

But please don't let all my negative feelings discourage you from reading this book! I do think that someone else might really enjoy it (and judging by the amount of positive reviews, plenty of people are). It seems like a fun, light read; and i'm always for supporting queer authors and stories.

I suppose you should simply be aware that the writing style isn't poetic at all (which is just not my personal taste but... well) and it doesn't seem to be too deep. Other than that, I think you might enjoy it.

Join Nigel as he attends the Culling, a magical trial consisting of three challenges. If you fail, you lose your magic forever. Despite being part of one of the most well-known magical families, Nigel has largely been removed from the magical world due to his disgraced father. When he makes a connection with Ori at the Culling, he quickly discovers that he’s feeling more than just butterflies about a cute boy. But, can Nigel trust Ori while still showcasing his magic skills?

I absolutely loved this book. It was such an inclusive and refreshing spin on magicians and their powers. There was so much action and adventure in this book that I just couldn’t put it down. But that ending… Omg! I was so relieved when Jason June posted that there will be a sequel… because there must be a sequel!

Be sure to add this one to your TBR immediately!!

I usually have a really great time with Jason June books, but this one fell super flat for me.

I had a hard time getting into this story. The plot was a little all over the place and I felt like we didn’t get a chance to really know the characters too well before we were thrown into a fantasy cowboy world with magic. It felt very all over the place and I spent most of the book just trying to keep up with what was happening.

I keep forgetting this book takes place over the span of just a few days because everything is so instantaneous and intense for the characters. I didn’t connect with any real part of this book. Not the story, the characters, or the romance.

Maybe the next Jason June book will get me.

A modern fantasy based in Texas, we get to see creativity shine with a cowboy magician. This was a fun and dramatic adventure, where the main character, Nigel, competes to prove himself in the magical realm. A diverse cast of enemies, all of them are an obstacle to his goal. However, romance seems to bloom even in the most difficult of times. Is everything as it appears? A great start to an exciting modern fantasy series.

An enjoyable, exciting, and endearing young adult cowboy fantasy book! Well-crafted world-building and interesting characters. Looking forward to reading its sequel.

Jason June’s writing is always so fun so I was really excited to see how it worked in a fantasy world and it delivered. This was fun and quirky, and the romance was sweet. I like anything about misfits taking down an oppressive big bad, and this delivered that. However, outside of June’s writing style I’m not sure this did anything new. It was reminiscent of other magical training camps/schools, and the magic system was fun, but overexplained for something not that complex. Lastly, the southern main character was fun but the imagery and language is laid on so thick. still the romance was great. There was real tension which I loved, and I really rooted for these two boys.

A grumpy/sunshine Wizards of Waverly Place type of story. I loved this book from start to finish. Plus, who doesn't want a magical cowboy in their life?

I did not have time to download and read this book before it was archived, so I'm unable to leave a review.

This was an awesome book! I loved the author’s writing style and how the characters were portrayed so perfectly as teenagers learning magical abilities. One of my favourite aspects was learning about the different ancestor races such as elves and goblins, and how this heritage could impact someone’s magic. I was drawn in early on and couldn’t put the book down, and I would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in fantasy and/or magical schools, and compelling storylines which have you gripped until the very end!

The premise was really interesting but the execution lacked in ways that I wish this had been better edited. A lot of the characters felt one-sided in ways that, given the cliffhanger-ish ending, future books might flesh out better? But as it's written, it just needs something more.

Queer characters and magic? Sign me right up! This was a fun little romp and honestly we should have more books like this!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

The Spells We Cast held promise with its intriguing premise and a captivating magic system, yet it ultimately fell short of expectations. The potential for an engaging story was overshadowed by uneven pacing, leaving the narrative feeling disjointed. While the magic system was a highlight, the characters failed to come to life, appearing one-dimensional and lacking the depth needed to fully engage readers. Despite these shortcomings, the book is not without merit, offering just enough intrigue to keep readers invested. However, the overall impression is one of missed opportunities, leaving a sense that the story is incomplete or missing a crucial element that could have elevated it to a more satisfying level.

2 stars

The premise of this book is interesting, however the execution is terrible. The world building makes no sense at all, think about any of it more than 5 seconds and it falls apart. The more world building and lore that was revealed the less sense anything made. Your world building should not be made out of soggy paper straws that fall apart with any simple question. The ancestral races being fae, elf, nymph, sprite and goblin bother me as elf, nymph, sprite and goblin are all different fae creatures. Also all the different types of magic are not equal in power.

The characters all lack depth, there’s just no real substance to them. Laura and Alister are just comically evil. The characters they were inspired by was painfully obvious. I kept forgetting that Nigel, Ori, Bex, Laura and Jelessa are suppose to be 18 because the way they’re written and how they react to most things feels like they’re 12. I couldn’t get attached to any of the characters because I felt like I barely knew any of them, so I didn’t feel anything when a couple characters died. I wish we got to know any of the characters who had their magic taken so there could be an emotional connection when it happens but instead all these characters are just a nameless, faceless mass that are just there to try to cause tension and stakes.

The entire book takes place over like 3 days so we get told the characters suddenly have certain relationships between each other instead of letting things build up naturally. Speaking of relationships the main romantic relationship is maddening, it’s a soulmate with instant love deal which the author then tries to walk back at the end to say they aren’t actually in love yet, seemingly trying to imply that it’s somehow going to be a slow burn kind of deal which doesn’t work at all with how the relationship is written. The author wanted two cakes, one being soulmates/instant love and other being slow burn/natural build up, but these two cakes can’t go together unless you’re really creative or do something different with the soulmate stuff. What we have is one cake that is hollow and incomplete and the other you’re just told is there while there’s actually no cake of that particular flavor in the building.

The plot of this book could have been spread out over 2 to 4 books to allow the plot and pacing to have the time it needed to breathe instead of speeding through everything at a breakneck pace. The added page time would have also greatly help with getting to know the characters which would allow for the emotional moments to actually hit properly.

Nigel Barrett spent his whole life preparing for the Culling - a spell-casting competition that determines which of the world’s teenage magicians get to keep their powers, and those who will be stripped of them, in order to keep and preserve the magical balance. He’d been ready - until he met Ori Olson.

The moment they meet, sparks fly, their powers are stronger, more thrilling, but also it seems, more dangerous. As the Culling field gets more and more narrow, Nigel and Orio realize just how much is at stake - and it may very well ride on the connection between them.

I don’t know where I saw this being marketed as “magical gay cowboys” but I grabbed this as soon as I could because of it. And boy, did it not disappoint! I also don’t know what it is about teenagers and them being on the verge of losing their magic forever that gets me into these stories, but I’m down.

I did give out quite a few eye rolls when Nigel would talk about his breakup with Jeremy. He’d talk about how he knew they wouldn’t work out and listed all this stuff - but then would compare interactions with Ori to Jeremy and I’d be sitting there going, “It’s not the same!”. And, the whole insta-romance thing is never my type. This book happens over 3 days!! <spoiler> I know this plays on soulmates, but it’s still a bit too fast </spoiler>.

But, even though I didn’t care all that much for the romance aspect of it (or rather, the pining on Nigel’s part for a partner who is no longer even in the photo), I still enjoyed the novel and its story. It ended on a cliffhanger and I’ll be keeping an eye out for the sequel for sure!

*Thank you Melissa de la Cruz Studio and NetGalley for a digital advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review

The Spells We Cast is magical, mysterious, and supernatural book by Jason June, one of my favorite YA authors. Nigel, a young man from a magical family, has to compete in the Culling to keep his magical powers. He has determination and unwavering resolve to win the Culling. His journey is one of self-discovery and growth, and I couldn't help but root for him every step of the way. He meets Ori, a brooding enigma with a dark past, and sparks fly in multiple ways. The magical elements are vividly described, making me feel like I was right there in the midst of the competition. The stakes are high, and the tension is palpable, keeping me on the edge of my seat throughout. This was a really cute, magical YA adventure that is clearly set up for a sequel that I can't wait to get my hands on.

The Spells We Cast was a super cute story. Not my new favorite or anything but I enjoyed reading it! 3.5 stars rounded up.

Whew, this book!!!! Okay, first of all we LOVE a book that is read by the author, LOVE! Second, the queer joy that radiates from this book and the metaphor of love, particularly queer love, overcoming hate, greed, and evil was *chef's kiss.* This book reminded me a lot of The Sunbearer Trials in the BEST way -- both had great queer rep, amazing characters, and a thrilling fantasy plot. I think these would be awesome read-alikes. I am dying for a sequel for both. You would love The Spells We Cast if you like fantasy, strong characters, an interesting plot with twists and turns. This is my favorite book by Jason June so far and I can't wait for more. I'll definitely be adding this to our school library and I'd recommend adding it to classroom libraries or giving as a gift. Can't recommend enough!