Charming, sweet, sapphic romance and I loved the use of pronouns. Super cute YA story for sure.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this early.

I loved this book!!! Such a cute sapphic romance and I was not expecting the little twist at the end at all. The magic system was really well explained and seems to be very respectful as well as not rooted in weird stereotypes. The representation in the book was also really great. I will say however, sometimes the over-inclusiveness was too much. For example, people in normal conversation don’t usually immediately introduce their pronouns is such a big way. Even as a gay and nonbinary person that was a little much for me.


Thank you NetGalley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.

DNF I just cannot handle the cringey dialogue and every time someone introduces themselves they say their pronouns I can’t. I love the inclusiveness but…wow it’s doing too much

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4 / 5 Stars

CW: Mentions of Past Car Accident, Mentions of Drowning, Mentions of Past Burning Alive, Grief, Mentions Of Past Character Death, Mentions of Murder


It's funny to me how, some people will complain when young folks don't speak & sound like young people. But they will apparently also complain when they do sound & speak like young people.
What do I mean? Well, if you've been on the Internet for more than 5 minutes you'll know what kind of language is used there. You'll find a similar one in this book. It also makes references to memes, movies and shows. If you're not older than 30 you'll be able to confirm that yes, that's partly what you talk about with your friends. If you want to call that "cringe" or "dated" it might not be a book but a you problem.

This book is very diverse and that's nice. But it's more the casual "Oh by the way" kind of rep. Could we have forced some -Phobia in there? Sure, but it's not like we needed it there. Be aware though, that this is a very open & at times amusingly tolerant town, where noone's discriminated against and a bunch of people tell you their pronouns upon first meeting you. I doubt that such a place exists in real life. In general, it didn't bother me too much. But after a few "Hi, I'm xyz and I use he/him pronouns" I had to shake my head and giggle a bit.

Stuff you'll find in the book:

- nonbinary rep
- lesbian rep
- asexual rep
- pansexual rep
- queer/unlabled-by-choice rep
- POC rep
-> Mc & family are black
-> other MC's bff is chinese-asian

It's nice to read a book about queer joy for a change. There are enough out there that tackle queer pain & struggle.

The book itself is very lighthearted...until all of a sudden it's not. The reason for that being is, that it's a mystery & romance at the same time. The romance is nice, dont get me wrong. I like the VERY brief semi-enemies to lovers vibe they had going on. I like their chemistry & relationship as a whole. They're cute. But their romance does steal the spotlight of the whole "I came to this town to find my mom" plot quiet often. There is one chapter in particular where MC 1 goes to a festival to ask the local witches if they have any information about her mother or relatives. And then she meets MC 2 and its like she forgot why she even got there in the first place. When her bff asks her about it the next day we learn that she apparently asked a few people off page before she admits that she got distracted by MC 2's lips and the best oppurtunity to learn abour her mom was kind of wasted. Not a huge dealbreaker but it's part of the reason why I - personally - liked the second half more.
All things witchcraft were very nice. Especially since we got to see a lot of different kinds that were more or less important to the plot. A bit like magical realism until its not.

The side cast was great with Quinn being my favourit. Partly because they got the most development and time besides our two Mains. Who knows, maybe we WILL get that Quinn sequel that you can still find on wattpad one day. I'd love to read it.

Speaking of characters. This is a 96% woman cast book. As in, we have 1 nonbinary character, 1 male friend , 1 male dude that flirts with a MC once and is never heard of again and 1 single dad. The rest is women. Husband? Dead. Uncle? Divorced. Grandpa? Also dead. Rest? Who knows. Not a complaint per se. Just an observation, is all.

What else I'd like to mention:

- Misscommunication.
It happens and we have to deal with it for 1,5 chapters. Very not needed. Very annoying. And very happy about it not lasting a second longer.


Final thoughts:

Would I reccomand this?
-> Oh yeah, for sure. It's a charming book with a lot of heart.

I was drawn to this book by its wonderful cover and it did not disappoint. It is a cute YA story, entertaining and easy to follow.

Love and Other Wicked Things by Philline Harns drew me in with an intriguing premise and beautiful cover. Its perfect combination of mystery and romance splendidly delivered on both.

Why I loved the book
-simple magic system
-masterful Dialogue use
-Fall vibes
-well executed ending

What didn't work as well for me
-slightly off kilter pacing in the first fourth
-I longed to see more of the magic in use

Who I would recommend this title for
This book is a great fit for fans of YA looking for a read with vibes simalr to practical magic by Alice Hoffman.

When I read the synopsis I thought this was a mystery book but it turned out to be a romance book in a the main plot. While I am not a big romance reader I loved this one because of the witchy aspects interweaved into the story. Plus it revolved around my favorite season Fall. I enjoyed the romance between Rhia and Valerie while they also grew and learn into their witch powers together. The small mystery twist in the end was the perfect ending to this book.

When Valerie Morgan comes to town in search of her missing mother and answers about the magic she’s harboured half her life, Rhia Greenbrook can’t help but feel a magical pull to her--and a danger. With their burgeoning romance, the mystery of Oakriver and Valerie starts to unravel, putting everything Rhia has loved on the line.

--

I hadn’t heard anything about this book, so I had virtually no expectations other than thinking the synopsis sounded cute and it was with a pleasant surprise that I did in fact enjoy it!

We follow along both Valerie and Rhia, as the former tries to uncover the mysteries surrounding her long missing mother and the latter has to manage her own magical journey whilst falling in love with the very witch she wasn’t supposed to.

The plot itself was pretty predictable, there were a lot of things that I foresaw but it wasn’t to the point of being boring. The magic aspect was fun to read, coming from someone who doesn’t know much about tarot or crystals or magic in general, so admittedly maybe the novelty helped. The writing was nice; it wasn’t over the top but it was easy and fun to get through (I realised after reading that the publisher is wattpad… you truly can’t escape your roots).

I reckon it helped that I really enjoyed the characters; particularly Quinn and Valerie’s friendship, which I found wholesome and meaningful and how lovely it was to see everyone woven seamlessly into this found family (compared to many instances where friendships with the main characters feel insignificant compared to the main relationship). Rhia and Valerie’s relationship were so cute, they had me smiling on the commute to uni and whilst I found their first interactions a bit insta-lovey, they were very adorable throughout (and anyway, who am I to judge when there’s magic involved?).

“Dimly, she thought that she’d always known Valerie was going to burn her to the ground--she just hadn’t expected the flames to feel so tender, consuming her one careful touch, one kiss, one whisper at a time.”

Overall, a sweet, intriguing read for anyone looking for a small-town sapphic witchy book with a little bit of mystery.

This was a really good read, the magic system was simple but interesting and well explained, I loved the whole family of witches plot which hit the right spot for someone who grew up on charmed. Rhia and Valerie were a cute couple whose relationship development was paced very nicely. There was also some nice and well-executed representation, including ace and non-binary. All in all, I enjoyed it a lot and it's definitely one I would hand-sell to customers - though I think the reading experience would be much better with a physical copy, just because I always enjoy cozy atmospheric books more when I have them In my hand.

Thank you Netgalley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First, thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this eARC!!

I have always loved witchy books and that is why I just had to request this one. And that was definitely the right choice! This was such a cute and cozy read with enough witchy vibes and mystery. I loved the small town setting, the Greenbrooks family and the great LGBTQIA+ representation!

I would recommend this book to everyone who wants to read a cute YA fantasy queer romance with some hints of found family!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy! It got witches and a sweet romance. And also a mysterious little town! How in the world coud I not love it! It wasn't my favourite but still a lovely story!

Thank you Netgalley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group for providing me with an e-arc of this book in an exchange of an honest review.

Love and other wicked things by Philline Harms revolves around 19-year-old Rhia, an earth with, and the new to the town fire witch Valerie, who is on her search for her mother. At first, they seem to hate each other but it might turns into something more.

This freaking but oh so amazing book took me by surprise. It literally a perfect mix of a cozy, whimsical, comforting book with a hint of mystery. It was really easy to get into the story, which is always a huge thing for me, because as a mood reader I was captured right away. We get introduced to the amazing Greenbrook family, who lives together in a comfy and witchy house. The characters are absolutely adorable and likable from the start. I couldn't help myself but fall in love with them. If I could chose a family to be with the rest of my life it would be the Greenbrooks. I also enjoyed the LGBTQIA+ representation. It was on point and I hope to see more of it in other books too. The story and the plot twists were kind of predictable, but it didn't ruin the reading fun at all.

There is probably more to gush over this book, but for now I think that's all I have to say. I absolutely enjoyed this book and hope to get more from Philline Harms in the future. This book was an absolutely needed warm hug - cozy and comforting.

Rhia is an earth witch from a family of witches, but she hasn't reached her full potential yet. Something in her sparks, though, when she feels an instant attraction to a newcomer in Oakriver. Valerie, a fire witch, has come to Oakriver not just to study art at the local college but also to discover the truth about her mother's disappearance years ago. Even though Valerie initially laughs at Rhia's admonition not to use her magic in public, she quickly accepts Rhia's tutoring in magical basics, and the two draw closer together. But there are dark secrets hiding in town, drawing Valerie closer to danger...

This witchy romance hits so many right notes: the family traditions, the simplicity and caring intent behind Rhia's spells, the found family aspect, and the awareness that power has a cost. The two main characters are well paired with their elemental powers: Rhia is grounded in her family and her practice, if sometimes stubborn and rule(root?)-bound, while Valerie has the warm, charismatic spirit with an occasional quick temper that you might expect from a fire witch. They both learn to draw on their own strengths to help each other, and in the process they discover more about themselves and the strengths they have yet to realize.

The suspenseful thread in the plot has a nice slow development, starting off giving the reader an uneasy feeling before amping up the tension, and it offered a nice little red herring along the way (which turned into something I didn't expect but enjoyed nonetheless). The romance is just a little insta-lovey but results in a HFN that still gives both of them room to grow. Representation (Black, Chinese, lesbian, queer, trans) is worked into the story seamlessly, with characters being given full support and acceptance.

Overall, it's not my favorite witchy romance, but its themes of inclusivity, acceptance, kindness, finding your identity, and discovering your power are certainly worth celebrating and sharing with teens and young adults. 4 stars.

Thank you, Wattpad Books and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.

Love and Other Wicked Things is a book about two young witches named Rhia and Valerie and their way of navigating their lives full of magic, love and grief.

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a romance-y book but I have to admit that I flew right through these 344 pages. I needed maybe a day start to finish. That is thanks to the writing style. It’s very easy but still flowery enough to give you a mostly nice experience.

Speaking of mostly nice; this book has a lot of pop-culture references and a lot of phrases that felt very… well, let’s say that wattpad publishing made sense after that. As an example, a phrase that made me roll my eyes is as followed: “Yeah, but you’re the human embodiment of a golden retriever,” c’mon, golden retriever outside out of TikTok comment section? Goosebumps.

Another thing about the writing was the sometimes excessive need to use italics. They were mostly used right and I didn’t mind them but then the author would use them every other sentence and I was just wondering what iS GOING ON? Example:

“I think it’ll enjoy the greenhouse.”

What was the need for the dramatic greenhouse? Am I supposed to imagine a velvety voice, thunder sounds and lightning strikes?

I digress. Let’s move on to the characters.

I'm not sure where I stand with them but I didn’t hate either so that’s a plus. Valerie and Rhia were both fun characters with enough backstory to make them feel as fleshed out as 300 page ya novels go. Valerie was fun and easy while Rhia had personality struggles to fight with which gave a nice balance to the two and their interactions. I liked the mystery around Valerie’s past even though I would’ve liked if that were revealed in a different way.

But it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t have something to complain about so…
Rhia is a young Black woman in a Black family. The fact that all the men in their family either left (uncle, grandfather) or died is very… well, I wouldn’t say racist but I think it’s on the insensitive side. I’m white so I can’t give solid, reliable judgement but after the controversy about Harms last book (that I only just now learned about) I think it’s still valid to point out. Also, the first time Valerie sees Rhia she describes her as “a lot curvier than herself” which… a Black woman is the curvy one? Hm…

Anyways, Rhia is Black but it is completely ignored in the story which brings me to the fact that this is a very “colorblind” book. In that aspect, it’s also rather blind to real life struggles of inclusivity. The book is set in a small, everyone-knows-everyone town but you’re telling me that 90% of the people introduce themselves with their pronouns? Especially characters like a lacrosse player telling Valerie his pronouns had me raise my eyebrow. I’m not the type to like flawlessly happy, “no one is homophobic/bigoted” books but if you do, this one is perfect for you.

What I did enjoy was the actual magic. I thought it would only have a real life witch plot but the fantasy was a nice touch that gave the whole thing a sort of original feeling.

In conclusion, this is an easy book with lots of feel good sapphic but also an emotional edge. I wouldn’t go around and recommend it to every living soul I know but I would recommend it if you’re stuck in a slump and want something easy going. The plot was interesting enough to have me keep reading and when I did put it down I always thought about how it was going to continue.

Very big thank you to Netgalley, Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group and Philline Harms for providing me with an ARC of this book.

My heart couldn't take this book! It was sweet, magical, whimsical, cozy, and adventurous! Our main characters were so fun and lovely and I adored watching them grow together. I also love anything witchy and romantic so that it was a great element as well!

Thank you so much Netgalley for the chance to read this advanced copy in exchange for a review!
I was very excited when I was approved for this read! Could not put it down!