Big bummer, I couldn’t get into this one. I think humor is pretty subjective and unfortunately this author’s humor wasn’t for me. I found the narrator to be kind of cheesy instead of charming. DNF :(

Charlotte Stein is a hoot and there's much to be said for the humorous heroine voice here, but overall, this new? old? paranormal trend is not for me. Stein tries to inject the gravitas of the heroine's strength in the face of much fatphobic nasty coming at her, but the woo-woo silliness consistently took me out of the story.

2 stars is being generous
——————

This book was objectively very bad. I wish I could have all the time I spent reading it back.

I think the premise of this one was interesting, but the execution was poor. There was no central plot to this. It read as all vibes and even the vibes were not good. This had so much potential to be VIBING but they’re just lost in this terrible story. It’s literally just Cassie making potions and getting horny over her high school bully she decided to forgive randomly because he asked. Ick. The steamy banter was just awkward. Cassie and Seth are poorly written and childish. Nothing about this worked for me.

I’m lacking appropriate words to fully describe this one. Not at all for me.

I was so excited about the premise for this book!! I buddy read it with a friend. We both thought we would give it a shot when it was a “read now,” bc it sounded so fun. We both had to DNF. I read to about 25%.

I just don’t know how to ever root for a MC that had part in bullying… especially to the other MC. How can you root for that relationship? I’m not sure. The dialogue between the two was so immature and they were not in high school!

I am so sad this one didn’t work out for me, but I gave it a shot!

Thank Netgalley and publisher for Arc
DNF at 24%
— Why I was Attracted to this book:
The book title and the cover. I like a curvy FMC
— What did you like about this book:
The premise I guess the potential was there, from the blurb but it was not enough
— What you didn’t :
I Wish I could say I liked this book but I didn’t and I had to put it down after 24%. Maybe it was the mood I Was in or maybe it was the 1 person POV what ever it was I could not for the life of me get invested enough to keep reading.
— Would you recommend:
It would have to depend on the person but in general this would not be a book that I would recommend to someone.
— Would you read this author again:
I want to try but I don’t believe this is the book for me
— Would you continue this series:
I would retry reading this book at a different time maybe

About 14% in : I don’t even know where I’m at in the book probable the beginning still but I’m not enjoying the dialogue and I really don’t want to spend the whole book In “Her” head 😩

This book has a really fun premise and definitely had some good moments, but overall didn't quite live up to the promise for me.

The first half especially had the cute cozy small town witchy fall vibes that I was hoping for and there were a lot of fun magic elements. The writing wasn't my favorite though; it's that style of writing that sometimes feels like it's trying too hard to be clever and I've just never been a fan. The dialogue was also very quippy and immature and both characters had the exact same voice. Their conversations felt very unrealistic. In the second half the story became mostly spice and the quippy dialogue was toned down quite a bit. I don't mind spice at all but the two halves felt a bit disjointed.

I was very excited for the estranged best friends to lovers storyline, it's one of my favorite tropes, but there was not nearly enough explanation for why Seth treated Cassie the way he did when they were in school. It wasn't even that I wanted more groveling, it was that his reasoning just didn't make any sense. I needed way more depth there to be fully on board with their romance.

All that said, this is a light and quick read, and if you don't take it too seriously and you're in the mood for a silly supernatural romance with spice, this might be right up your alley!

I loved When Grumpy Met Sunshine so I had high hopes for this story. It has some funny witch house goings on, an opinionated raccoon, and a sweet friends' reconciliation. In fact Seth is such a goofy sweetheart I could take him home with me. Cassie is the one with the grudge as she perceived Seth's actions in high school as traitorous. My gripe is the sex scenes are so extended (no pun intended) and detailed that it gets tedious to read. I just want the story to move on!

3 1/2 Stars

🐺I first want to say thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Net Galley & Charlotte Stein for providing an E-Arc. I'm so grateful.🐺

If you're looking for a cute quirky *slightly slow burn* romance that's filled with steamy awkward banter that has magical/mystical vibes, this witchy x werewolf romance is perfect for you. I did enjoy this quite a bit. The only reason it isn't 4 stars for me is because it was very cheesy and made me feel slightly cringey a couple times (usually, I don't mind the cheesy fluffy feel of a book, but with the mix of some of the supernatural happenings in it it just gave me the ick *BUT ONLY LIKE TWO OR THREE PARTS ITS NOT A BAD BOOK*) but other then those parts this was an enjoyable funny read. I'm looking forward to reading more from Charlotte🖤

I loved the magic system and the world building in this book. It felt new and kept me wanting to read more. Although it did feel like nothing was happening for a good chunk of the book, it was still interesting enough to keep reading.

There were some cute moments, as well as funny moments sprinkled throughout. The dirty talk was great, too! Definitely one of the author's strong points.

There was a lot of repetition throughout the book, mostly from the FMC and her denying her/others feelings. There were some scenes that were confusing, so I did have to reread to understand what was going on.

This is a bully romance with tons of miscommunication, and while I usually don't read these types of books, the magic and build up to the romance really won me over in the end. If you're looking for a supernatural romance with a fresh take on magic and worldbuilding, I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

4/5 ⭐️s
🌶️🌶️🌶️ - heavy spice

This is unlike any book I’ve ever read and I need to format differently.

I’m going to start with a variety of words to describe this book: cute, weird, funny, spooky, hilarious, goofy, awkward, strange, sweet, HORNY, cozy, bizarre, surprising, dirty.

Honestly, I could go on and on. This book was so many things, but surprising might be the biggest. I was constantly shocked into some kind of reaction: laughter, cringes, “aww”s…

This book will not be for everyone. It’s extremely quirky and I found myself wondering whether I should like it, but I really do. I liked the wildness. It’s not realistic, but it’s fun and magical.

There’s also no way to separate the spice from the plot so if that’s not your thing, skip past this one. If you like the space and some weirdness, give this one a shot.

Thanks to @netgalley for the eARC 💝

The banter was on point. The dirty talk was top tier. I really enjoyed the twist on the mating desire.

🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

After being horribly embarrassed in high school by someone she thought was her best friend, Cassie moved away and thought she left the ghosts of her past behind her. When her grandmother passes, Cassie temporarily moves back to her hometown to clean out her late grandmother's house. Things get a lot more complicated when her ex-best friend, Seth, shows up on her doorstep practically begging for her help. Oh, and he's actually a werewolf and she's a witch. Cassie reluctantly strikes a deal with Seth--she'll brew him stabilizing potions if he helps her understand her newfound magic. Things start to heat up when they discover they have a mating bond that is super hard to shake.

Ok, so my thoughts. This book was quirky and while, I wasn't the biggest fan of the writing style, it was funny. It's not meant to be taken seriously so there are some parts that definitely had me laughing out loud. I enjoyed the friends to (kind of enemies) back to friends to lovers dynamic. So around the 50% mark, things got weird. There's this mating bond between Cassie and Seth that makes them, let's say extra frisky. But the way they handle it was SO cringe. And from that point on, I was just trying to finish the book, hoping it got less cringey. It didn't. So take that as you will. Funny story, interesting characters and a cute raccoon familiar, weeeeeeird spice.

The strongest thing this book had going for it was the banter between the two main characters — which makes for a really solid foundation for a romance. Seth and Cassie both immediately felt real due to their distinct voices, and their relationship and history came through clearly due to their rapport. The supernatural elements were fun and easy to understand. At times the pacing felt slow and I wished we got flashbacks of Cassie and Seth’s friendship, but all in all it was a cute paranormal romcom. And bonus points for a raccoon familiar.

3.5 rounded up to 4

TW: This book opens with fat shaming and bullying in full force. However, I kept going because this happened in High School and Cassie moved on with her life. And I'm glad I did!

This book is a wild ride from start to finish. I just kept begging the MCs to have a real converstaion and not just talk around the real issues. There was a lot of back and forth that didn't help the story (but some was very well done spice) that I felt could have been removed, but overall I really enjoyed it. I love a book where the MC gets dropped into the supernatural world and I look forward to seeing more from this series in the future. Most of the book felt like world-building to set up the series, but the ending felt rushed to me. It was very funny in a lot of parts and I got sucked into Cassie and Seths' rekindling friendship (and more) banter and really enjoyed them together. I think if they'd had a converstaion about their feelings sooner (leaving the one big revelation for the end) and then moved some of the fluff after they finally figured themselves out before the big conflict in the last 1/3 of the book that would have improved everything significatly.

Regardless, I had a great time!

Curvy, Cozy, and a Whole Lot of Chemistry: My Review of How to Help a Hungry Werewolf

Fall is finally here, and what better way to embrace the cozy season than with a heartwarming fantasy romance that's also hilariously chaotic? Today, I'm diving into a delightful read that perfectly captures the autumnal spirit (and somehow manages to make me laugh out loud): How to Help a Hungry Werewolf by Charlotte Stein

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Perfect for: Cozy fantasy lovers seeking a character-driven tale with a spicy second-chance romance.

A Curvy Girl's Magical Journey...With a Side of Mischief
This book follows Cassie, a plus-size heroine who finds herself drawn back to her hometown after a tragic event. As she navigates the familiar streets, she's confronted with old friendships, a mysterious connection to the town's magical secrets, and a whole lot of accidental mayhem. The cozy atmosphere, complete with autumnal foliage and a touch of paranormal magic, creates a truly enchanting backdrop for Cassie's very eventful journey.

A Spicy Second-Chance Romance
For those seeking a little spice to go with their cozy fantasy, How to Help a Hungry Werewolf delivers. The relationship between Cassie and her paranormal love interest is both youthful and exciting, with plenty of chemistry, playful banter, and just enough chaos to keep things interesting. While the second half of the book does get a bit steamy, I appreciated that it avoided the knotting trope, which is a personal ick for me.

Overall, How to Help a Hungry Werewolf is a delightful blend of fantasy, romance, and cozy charm that will leave you wanting more...and probably laughing until your sides hurt. If you're looking for a character-driven tale with a touch of magic, a dash of spice, and a whole lot of hilarious chaos, this book is a perfect choice for your autumnal reading list.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up!

This was a delightful read! In a similar vein to Jenna Levine’s My Vampire books, this felt like a raunchy D-COM original storyline. Cassie and Seth were such fun together and I absolutely loved watching them come back together (I also loved watching them being the horniest beings alive. 😂) Also I can’t forget to mention Pod, Cassie’s raccoon familiar - the absolute love my life. 😍🦝

Both the print and audio versions of this book were perfection so I think either route will be a fun time! A big thanks goes to NetGalley, SMP, and MacMillan Audio for the advanced copies of this book. How to Help a Hungry Vampire drops Oct. 1 (just in time for spooky season!)

This is my third Charlotte Stein book, and if you had asked me before reading it, I would have said it would probably be my last. It won't be my last. 🤣 I adored this quirky, fumbly, sweet book so much! It made me laugh out loud several times, and tear up at the emotions of the characters. They were well drawn and fallible, with so much heart and angst. 😍 And it was witches, werewolves, familiars (Pod the raccoon! 🥹), and all kinds of supernatural goodness. What I'm saying is I am all the way in on Stein if this is what she is writing moving forward. Fair warning: schmexytime is a slooowwww burn. 😝

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for access to an e-arc for review.

2.5 stars rounded up. I think I chalk this up to simply being "not for me".

This is the second Charlotte Stein I have read (I started Never Loved bofore starting this one but have not yet finished it). How to Help a Hungry Werewolf is the first book in a series and I think suffers a bit with respect to pacing because of it. It starts slow and the world building feels like the focus of the first 2/3. Then Cassie is suddenly an extremely powerful witch and Seth is a werewolf. I don't think the romance is given enough on page time - we only get Cassie's POV and she's a mess. She and Seth have a history and it is messy and I didn't feel it was ever addressed as if they are adults. As their relationship progresses the tone goes from feeling very light and cheery to explicit. To be clear - I expected the explicit, but it didn't feel earned. The plot felt shoved into the last quarter of the book.

The way the paragraph above is a bit of a mess is sort of the way I felt about the book.

I like Cassie and Seth (this matters to me in a romance). In spite of my complaints above, I buy them as a couple and I think this series could go somewhere good.

Read if you like:
👯‍♀️ Friends to Enemies to Lovers
✨ Supernatural Romances
🧙‍♀️ Witches, Magic, & Potions
🐺 Werewolves
🥵 Horny Banter
🏫 High School Bullies

This book is the epitome of don’t take yourself seriously and just have fun!

I truly loved the spicy and tension filled banter, all the innuendo, and awkward relationship of ‘what is going on’ mixed with ‘I guess I’ll help you out’ and everything that comes out of this combo bringing former besties turned high school enemies back together when our FMC returns to her hometown after her grandmother passes away and leaves her home to her, and then catching her ex bff trying to break into said house looking for her grandma.

Then comes all the tension, one liners, awkward banter, sexual comments mixed with the supernatural aspects of what happens when you bring together a witch and a werewolf…

Thanks so much to the Macmillan publishers for my ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review!

I first want to say thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Net Galley & Charlotte Stein for providing an advance copy of How to Help a Hungry Werewolf for me to read and review.

I’m glad I picked this as my first fall read! I truly adored the cosy, hallmark-esque energy baked into the story and setting. Stein’s attention to magical details made this book so enchanting and whimsical I couldn’t help but have a sense of nostalgia. I even became emotionally attached to a microwave! The modern references, body positivity and adult spice level felt perfectly appropriate for light hearted supernatural romcom with high school and hometown themes.

About halfway in, I did start to wonder when the conflict(s) would develop, but I had enjoyed the world building and fast paced montage style progression of the first act. The story felt classic and fun while still being unique and having interesting discoveries along the way. I look forward to more books in this series, as I really think Stein's classic Halloween magic style was what kept me reading! I would have loved to get more substance in this book even, as the bulk of the end chunk (where we see all the mating stuff come into play, which is totally fine by me, but it's several scenes of just that) plus the final arc of the interconnected high school bully conflict left me wanting more explanations on the details of the hows and whys of the "Jerks" final plotting, which would have been a great opportunity to build upon much of the broad scope of the supernatural world Stein had already developed.

Many of the scenes I adored were well written, I even re-read some! However, there were a couple times I noticed the tone being slightly mismatched in various sections which interrupted the overall momentum for me. The language of some scenes (the final confession monologues, where the characters were also suddenly speaking in a really formal manner) was more polished and refined, while other scenes (one of my favorites, the adorable and hilarious faerie forest scene) were just as well written but had a much more casual tone. In the same vein, there were some phrases and snippets of dialogue where I had to re-read to understand what was being conveyed because it was not clear enough.

Overall, this is a 3.5/5 for me! I’d recommend this for anyone looking for a spicy, funny fall novel, for lovers of romcom and supernatural romance, and for anyone who wants to light a candle, turn on the TV for background noise (my choice is YouTube Halloween ambience) and immerse themselves in the spooky season energy with a new book!

(I will round up half-star ratings where applicable)