Thank you so much for letting me read the ARC of this great book! I really enjoyed reading this, I thought the writing was very vivid and I was able to picture everything like the characters and the setting perfectly in my mind which made this book really enjoyable to read and super easy to get into. I also loved the characters and how the two main character's relationship progressed from hate to love, which was so pure and tender. I also loved how it wasn't always sunshine and rainbows and how the two main characters developed themselves both outside of and within their relationship. Also, the book in general had such good fall/spooky vibes so I would really recommend reading this during the fall season to fully immerse yourself in the story and the atmosphere! Overall really loved the book and would love to read more by this author! 5 stars from me!

a cute novel, i really enjoyed it!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and netgalley for this review copy.

To be honest, I love the premise and the story so far. It presents such a unique outlook of an urban supernatural setting. Sadly, I can't find myself finishing the book in satisfaction because the writing style ingrates me, especially in several parts of the dialogue. I might revisit this book someday, but it's definitely not for me now.

I had ever such high expectations for this book - as a lesbian who has always loved witches, anything considered 'supernatural' or 'spooky' really - but I think this was a situation where my expectations being ever so high maybe let me down a little.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book. I really liked the main character, her story and her narrative, but some of the story and world building fell short for me very, very sadly.

I would like to stress that this book, while I didn't find that it lived up to my own personal expectations, is by no means a bad book. It's an objectively good book, but I think I was just a little bit disappointed, which is of no fault's but my own, that it didn't quite reach the expectations that I had put on it after reading the synopsis a few months ago.

I went back and forth between what I should rate this book, and eventually settled on a 3.5/5, rounded up to a 4 stars. Like I said, it wasn't a bad book at all, and I would recommend it to people looking to read an easy book about magic and queer relationships, especially if they're younger, but it just didn't quite hit the mark for me personally.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

(I promise that I did enjoy several aspects of this book - as I said, it's no one's fault but my own for the height of my expectations after reading so many queer, magical books that felt more suited to my personal preferences and my age)

3.5/5 stars ⭐️

Unfortunately, I was unable to download this title before the archive date, and will not be providing a review for the advanced copy.

Such a cute sapphic witchy fall romance! Reminiscent of the These Witches Don’t Burn series and Payback’s a Witch (only YA). Rhia and Valerie were both lovable, well-rounded characters, and their romance was very sweet (a dash of enemies to lovers with a touch of forbidden romance). Ultimately though, it was Quinn, Valerie’s non-binary roommate, who stole my heart. I would love to see a novel or novella devoted to them because they’re the best.

Overall I really loved the magical system, especially the earth magic (I really enjoy seeing witches utilize plants a la Poison Ivy or Flowridia from The Fallen Gods series). I do wish there’d been a little more clarity about the secrecy from non-magical people. It’s never explained why non-magical Tristan is allowed to know about magic or why throwing a festival for non-magical folk that includes a fortune teller is okay, but doing tarot reading for those same non-magical folk is forbidden.

While there was one point where I was yelling at a character not to do the thing they were explicitly told not to do, which often irks me as a reader, at least it seemed true to character in this case.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving this review.

Happy publication day! Love and Other Wicked Things is about Rhia Greenbrook, an earth witch brought up in a family of witches, and Valerie Morgan, a fire witch who's been searching for her mom. The story takes place in a small town named Oakriver, where Valerie is going to college (it's also where her mom was born and raised) and where Rhia lives.

The writing style in this book was really beautiful and the highlight was definitely Rhia's relationship with her family. There were multiple family members who were important characters (like her sister and her cousin) and showed up frequently throughout. (Also, I am in love with the names of her cats (Elphaba! Circe! Salem!) and her earrings sound so cute!)

Now, the plot. For the most part, the plot was pretty good and interesting, but I did notice that there was no real explanation given for why the "evil" side did what they did. Their motivations seemed unclear and I’m still not super sure why/when they "turned evil" and against the others. The magic system was also not the most original idea ever (witches, elements, spells), but it was explained well, and there were a couple new phrases like the threefold rule (three times whatever magic you put out into the world will come back at you) and Obscura (a shop that only those who are magical can see and enter).

On to the romance! In my experience, published Wattpad books tend to have great banter, and while that wasn’t exactly true here, It was a nice, solid romance that I enjoyed reading about. there was a kind of unnecessary third-act break-up, but there was also a super cute I’ve-been-wearing-your-sweater-the-whole-time scene, so I’ll forgive it this time :))

There were also a couple features in the book (unrelated to the writing) that I loved!! First of all, there's a soundtrack with a song for every single chapter! The only thing I wish is that this was at the front of the book, instead of the back, because I only saw it after I had finished the book. And secondly, there are tarot cards at the beginning of each chapter (divination comes often in the story) which set the tone for what is going to happen in that section of the book!

This book also convinced me that "found family is hands down the best trope". I actually wrote that down right after I finished haha. Valerie's roommate in college is Quinn, who is probably my favorite character! They were super sweet and Valerie & Quinn had some great platonic moments (like the little hair-dyeing session<33).

And now, for my random thing: Rhia works in a coffee shop/bookstore where the books are arranged by mood, which I think sounds amazing!

Wow, wow, wow! What a fun and light read. The characters were relatable and never boring. The plot had unique twists that kept me guessing. And the magic system didn't feel overly complicated and played out.
Rhia was so adorable yet feisty. And I loved her connection with her grandmother. It always felt like she was only the one who truly understood her. Plus I would be lying if I said I didn't want to check out the bookstore/cafe she worked at. I am infinitely jealous it doesn't actually exist. Valerie was smart and brazen. I admired how she went against the grain no matter what if it was the right thing to do. I always love when a character has an unwavering sense of self.
I was immediately pulled into the mystery of it all by the second chapter. It started me guessing early, "Why can't they use magic?", "What happened to her mom?", "What's going on with her grandmother?". Which kept me interested throughout the book. Plus the sweetest sapphic romance, oh my goodness.
My only issue was how young the writing felt. I know it's YA and a Wattpad book so I guess I should have kept my expectations at a different level. But I just couldn't help being pulled away from aspects I really enjoyed, like the characters and plot by the simplicity of the writing style.
All in all I did enjoy this book a lot though. And if you are looking for a fun and easy read to kick off Fall, this is a great pick!!

Thanks to NetGalley, Wattpad Books and Philline Harms for providing me with this advanced review copy of Love and Other Wicked Things.

This book was an incredibly cute sapphic young adult romance with a fun paranormal plot line. Love and Other Wicked Things follows Valerie and Rhia, two young witches as they figure out life after high school, friendships, magic, family drama, and of course, falling in love. There were three main plot lines: Valerie trying to figure out what happened to her mother, Rhia’s struggles with anxiety/control and how that effected her magic, and naturally how those two things impacted their relationship. The magic system was easy to understand and clearly well thought out by the author which made for a fun read. Valerie and Rhia were both very loveable characters and they were supported by a cast of likeable and diverse characters. Overall it was a 4.5 star read.

This story follows Rhia, a third generation witch who practices earth magic, and has always been told to keep her magic a secret to protect the humans in her small hometown, Oakriver.

Meanwhile Valerie, who is new to Oakriver, is a fiery, bold presence that has no problem attracting attention with her fire magic while she tries to find answers about her long lost mother who disappeared in the sleepy town years ago. Will these two opposite elements be able to deny their attraction, or will forces greater than these witches keep them apart?

I absolutely ADORED this book! Rhia and Valerie were such real and compelling characters. They both had journeys to go on and still there was a cute love story as well. It truly was a five star read, and I will read anything Philline puts out in the future!! (Imitating Bill Hader) This book has everything!

Read if you love:
🍂Fall VIBES!
🔥Witches with elemental magic
🌈LGBTG+ representation
✊🏽Black/Brown representation
🐱Cats
💕Opposites Attract
🤫Family Secrets
🧹 100+ references to witches in pop culture!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🕯🃏🔥🌱🌊

Wow. This book. Witches, Sapphic, Non-Binary, found family, family secrets, drama, cuteness, and magic. This book has it all.

This book is so well written that I didn't want to put it down. I want to read it again again and again. The plot was fantastic, the characters were amazing and the writing was just magical.

Self identity, family connections and love is a high focus. Accepting who YOU are, not just who your family is. I dont normally put quotes in m reviews because spoilers, but this one is too impotant not to mention. My favourite quote is:
“Discovering new things about ourselves can be frightening, but in the end it’s these moments that bring us closer to who we truly are . Once you embrace the process and accept the uncertainty, it’s really quite lovely.”
And there are so many more.

Recommend to all.

Thanks to Netgalley, Wattpad Books and Philline Harms for a copy of the ebook. This review is left voluntarily.

This is the perfect book to start off the fall reading with. I loved everything about this. From the family of witches, magic, diversity, love, and the coziness.

I thought all the characters were amazing. I loved Rhia the most. The cover and title is was attracted me to this book and I went in blind. I am so glad I did because it felt like a true page turner. I couldn't get enough of the mystery part of it when it came to Valerie's mother.

This was well written and this will be for sure a great read for the spooky/fall season. This is one to pick up for sure.

Love and Other Wicked Things tells the story of Rhia and Valerie, two college-aged witches who meet when Valerie movies to Rhia's town to find out more about her mother and her magical roots. As the two get to know each other and get closer, they fall for each other and learn more about magic and themselves.

I thought this book had a great group of diverse characters and I really appreciated all of the representation within it. The two leads worked together well, but I especially loved the side character, Quinn. Also, I thought the magic system was really well done and easy to understand. I do feel like the story dragged in the first half a bit as the characters meet and get to know each other, but the second half really picked up with the plot and I found myself flipping through the pages much quicker.

Love and Other Wicked Things is a cute, witchy, sapphic tale that really embodies the feeling of fall. I'd recommend anyone who reads it to read it around October because there are so many fall references and it really made me yearn for autumn. It's a nice palette cleanser if you're looking for something light and cozy to read.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC of Love and Other Wicked Things by Philline Harms.

What a way to jump into fall. I was surprised I got approved for this ARC, only a few days before the publishing and archive date! This is a book to cuddle up with, alongside a cup of (apple and cinnamon) tea, and maybe on one of the first cooler nights of the years.

I found the book easy going and not too challenging with the writing style. I wished sometimes it was a little *more* in some ways. More engaging, or maybe that it asked more of me. It was extremely diverse, had a great sapphic plot, and a lot of female (and Quinn, an enby character) characters. I look for this diversity in books, but the writing itself lacked in a certain depth.
Overall, I would give this book a 3.5, I will round it here to a four.

I started reading this book, but I lost interest in the story and did not end up finishing it before it expired.

Thank you to Wattpad Books and Netgalley for an e arc of this book!

When a new witch moves to town, Rhia attempts to listen to her grandmother's cryptic divination and ignore her, but Valerie has other plans, and sparks fly... Literally. While Valerie looks for clues about the disappearance of her mother, Rhia tries to balance learning divination and teaching Valerie rules and safety for witchcraft.

Rhia is a practical and organized earth witch with a family of witches surrounding her. Valerie is a chaotic and vivacious fire witch who taught herself everything she knows.

I absolutely loved this opposites attract romance with all the cozy cottagecore and found family vibes! It has the best MCs but also amazing side characters-- I literally cried tears of happiness because Quinn is the best thing ever and they deserve the world.

This book sticks so closely to real witchcraft with just a touch of amplification to add fantasy elements. I loved that so much. I also loved the tarot, coffee/bookstore dates, art college, and earth magic vibes!

Everything about this book was perfect for me and I know it will be a comfort read for me for years to come!

CW: death of a parent, drowning, fire,

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an E-ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.

This book is very diverse and that's something I appreciated a lot (nonbinary rep, lesbian rep, asexual rep, pansexual rep,POC rep). The story was really interesting even if it was very lighthearted. Wasn't a really great fan of the writing style but I could still enjoy it.
The romance was great but it did steal the spotlight from the "I came to this town to find my mom" plot really easily. It might have been better to have the romance as a subplot, something in the background. The witches and the witchcraft were great.
Also, as an observation, most of the cast of characters are female. I remeber reading about 2 or maybe 3 male characters, but the rest were female. Not really a problem but it did feel weird sometimes.
Nice and easy read.

4.5 stars

Huge thanks to Wattpad Books and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I LOVED this book! Sapphic witchy books are my jam and this absolutely hit the spot.

Rhia and Valerie are complete opposites, and I kinda love how much that worked for them. I loved the prickly tension between them at the start, the way Val was drawn to Rhia immediately, the way Rhia resisted so hard but then fell so fast. I love the way these two balanced each other, with Rhia teaching Val to be more careful and Val teaching Rhia to let loose and open herself up a bit more. They just complemented each other so perfectly and I am soft for them.

I also loved Quinn! They were such a fantastic side character and I highkey need a book focussing on them! I’d love to watch them develop their magic and reconnect with their heritage and maybe fall in love themself.

The plot was engaging, if predictable (I don’t mind predictable). There were a few plot points that seemed a little silly or convoluted and that’s really the only reason this isn’t a full 5 stars. Keeping big important dark family secrets is bad - who’d’ve thought!

Nevertheless, this one’s a great read, especially with spooky season just around the corner.

This was a cute read! A fun, if a tad simplistic magic system, sapphic romance and some feel-good family vibes made this a great palate cleanser. While I will say that the writing didn't quite appeal to me, I still liked the characters and the romance - not to mention that there was some great queer representation involved beyond the MC and love interest. If you're looking for a quick, fun, witchy sapphic rommance, check this out!

I really wanted to love this, but it just didn’t hit for me. The premise was great, but the writing fell flat right of the bat. I’m sure it will be great for some contemporary witchy romance fans that don’t mind a less refined writing style!