I loved Breanna Randalls first book. She is a queen at marketing. Shes built a fun community. I did enjoy this book, it had a ton of potential but it just fell short. There is a ton of competition in magical themed books the last few years. It just really wasn't up to par. a good read but there are others out there higher on my rec list

This was a very fun story about magic from memories. Overall I liked the story and rate it 3 stars. The pacing was off at times and the plot was semi-predictable, but I liked the charmed vibes and the family dynamics.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted book.

I LOVED the previous book by this author so I was super pumped to dive into this one. It was good but didn't hit quite the same as The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic. I really loved the witchy-ness and the relationship between the sisters, and of course the enemies to lovers trope. All three sisters are struggling with the disappearance of their mom years earlier, and trying to control their magic so they don't lose memories. I thought the sisters' cost of doing magic (losing memories) was creative.

The pacing is kind of weird for me. There is a lot of unnecessary explaining and descriptions that took away from the story and kind of made it drag out. Once Lucian shows up and Calliope binds her self to him accidentally, things get interesting - yet I found it all a bit predictable. The last few chapters do get more intense and that made up for some of the parts that dragged.

I'm assuming the next book will be about one of the sisters, and I'm excited about that.

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things by Breanne Randall is an adult romantic fantasy that centers around three witch sisters who lose their memories when they use their magic. Thalia Petridi, the oldest and the "fixer," resists her magic; Calliope Petridi (our main protagonist) the middle sister who is recklessly determined to understand the depths of her magic and will do anything to protect her sisters; and Eurydice Petridi, the peacekeeper. The bond between these sisters was evident from page one, and I loved getting to know the their differences and the dynamics between them. These sisters are Lightcraft witches, who have been taught at a young age to not associate themselves with the Shadowcrafters.

Naturally, here enters Lucien Deniz, a Shadowcrafter, who Calliope finds herself bonded to after attempting to fortify an enchantment. Lucien, with his own desire to protect his sister Eléa, gets entwined with the affairs of the Petridi sisters.

This book was so captivating. From the dynamics between the characters, the world-building, and magic system; I found myself eager to read more. Each character is unique in their personality, motivations, and fears which add to the depth of the book. Even the side characters felt fleshed out as well.

The slow burn - enemies to lovers/ forbidden - relationship between Lucien and Calliope was so delicious to read. They complement each others strengths and weaknesses so well. The spice was so worth the wait.

One of my favorite parts of this book was Grim- the family grimoire. It reminded me of Benny from Ella Enchanted without a face. I just adore magical books.

The plot was engaging and flowed at an enjoyable pace. Overall, I adored these characters and highly recommend it to fantasy or romantasy lovers. I cannot wait to explore more of Eléa in book two.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve picked this one up a few times over the past couple months and really tried to get into it, but I just couldn’t stay engaged. I loved the ideas behind it—magic, sisterhood, reinventing yourself—but the pacing dragged for me, and I found myself struggling to stay interested. I eventually had to set it aside, which I hate doing, especially with an ARC, but this just wasn’t the right fit for me. That said, I think readers who enjoy a slower, more introspective kind of fantasy might really connect with it.

The first time I started this book I could not get into it. I put it aside and decided to try again later. I recently decided I would try the audiobook version to see if it captured my attention more and luckily it did. The narrator did a great job of keeping the book and characters intriguing. I can't wait to see where the series goes and what other twists and turns it will have.

I was left wanting more.

I wanted more character building. I wanted more thoughtfulness with the aunties. I know that there is an amazing story in there, but it just wasn’t for me 100%.

Calliope being a young witch she has a lot to learn, and I’m happy I pushed thru the book, with the glimmers of beauty and chemistry. The plot of giving up memories in exchange for spells, bigger the spell, bigger the memory. Which give the Charmed meets ACOTAR vibes, and that is exactly what some people will love.

I will likely re-read it in the fall to see if the time of year in which I read it gives me different vibes!

Also A+ on 🏳️‍🌈 INCLUSION!

Summary: Three sisters are tasked through family responsibilities passed down generations. They must protect the mysterious dark oak from shadowweilder covens for the sake of all. They spend their days running a quaint little tea shop in a cozy little town, full of small-town folk totally unaware that magics and witches are actually real. Only one sister regularly practices her magic, as they are cursed to sacrifice a memory each time they use a spell. When a shadowweilder unexpectedly arrives in town and ties his future and safety to their own, the sisters must discover more about the dark dsnger that lurks and how to stop it.

Review: I stayed interested in this story, despite the instalove tripe, sheikh I don’t really care for typically. The characters were lively and the story engaging. I do wish they would have had to work harder to like each other, as far as the love interest. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I loved the author's debut, so I'm more disappointed than anyone that I could barely finish this one.  I skimmed quite a bit of the back half.  The writing style felt disjointed and scattered, I didn't find companionship with any of the characters, and the romance just....didn't hit.  The magic system, while interesting, wasn't described well and the main characters seemed way less concerned about the consequences than they should have been? Giving up memories every time you perform magic is....serious.  And the FMC was way too flippant about it.  Maybe I missed something.  

I have high hopes for this author's future projects and possible TV show with this series, but I will be hesitant to pick up the second.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review! (sorry it's late, I'm catching up 😅)

I loved this book to the point that I also listened to the audio book on release day! I connect with the main character, and I cannot wait to see where this series goes.

Calliope Petridi and her two sisters have magic. A magic that's been passed down through generations and caused their mother to abandon them. The price of that magic is memories, and Calliope is happy to pay it so she can forget their mom leaving, the distance growing between the sisters, and the heartbreak of losing her girlfriend. Their magic is all that's keeping an ancient evil sealed, but her sisters won't believe Calliope when she tells them the seals are breaking. Trying to fix it on her own only manages to further break the seals, dilute the magical bond with her sisters, and bind her to a shadow magic user with his own agenda. NOw, she has to fix her relationship with her sisters, figure out why the seals are breaking and fix them, and resist the crazy chemistry she feels with the hot guy she's bound to.

It's an okay story that suffers a little from not being entirely sure what tone it wants to take. It sometimes feels like it's going for small town vibes, but that only happens when it fits the story for the sisters to be worried about their little town. Then it goes into full-on fantasy vibes with the light vs dark magic and all the evil things the villains have pulled of, but dilutes it with silly moments or jokes. The romance is there as its strongest element, but even that doesn't get a chance to shine as we focus on so many things at once. So many threads and not enough focus.
The characters are fine. Calliope is broken emotionally, and it plays into how she interacts with others, so we don't get a lot of time to explore the sisters and the little threads that are laid down for them. Lucien is a great character, and I would actually love to get his backstory and maybe focus on him more, simply because he seems to have a lot more going on in his life than fights with his sisters and missing an ex.

Overall, I'm not sad I spent the time reading it, but I don't think it's something you should rush out and pick up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine | Dell for the read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Well that was just plain delightful. A fascinating magic system, an amazing trio of sisters, and a steamy love interest with some fabulous spicy scenes. What more could a girl ask for in a book? Oh and did I mention the book includes a few of the recipes mentioned in the back?

Without giving any spoilers the one thing I can say is the… twisty bit about the grimoire… didn’t really don’t for me and gave me a little bit of the “ugh really?” feeling but not enough to change the fact that I just enjoyed reading this one, flat out.

I was surprised by this one as it seems a comp title for my own book with the vibe and three sisters (also sharing two of the same names of my characters haha) I liked the atmosphere and the idea of this magic that takes your memories when you use it. The strife between the sisters and their arc into rebonding is great. There were two main things I thought were unnecessary though and one being the smut. It just didn't suit the atmosphere to me in this one and kind of took away the impact of the story to me. It just suddenly started and then felt like it overtook the plot a bit by the end when I thought we were mid-climax and then they take a break to screw? it just didn't vibe with me. The other was the character named Calliope wondering why someone would call her "little muse". Like seriously? You don't know the origin of your own name? I found that REALLY hard to believe and it just took me straight out of the book.

Otherwise the rest of the plot and story was great. I really liked the differences in character between the sisters and their own individual character arcs. That was probably my favorite part of the book. I just wish more adult writers would realize that you don't have to inject so much smut into a romance to make it sell. This would have been a five star read for me without it. That's not to say smut can't be in any books, I just don't think it fit with the overall vibe of this one in particular. It could have had the same, even more impact if the door had been closed or if the romance had been less about the sex and more about their emotional connections without the physicality.

Surprise! More witches! I love books about witches and it can be horrid. This wasnt that. This books gives me the feels that some of my childhood books, movies, and dreams of being a witch gave me. The story was so good and the plot twists were enjoyable. It isn't light given the author really likes to describe but it isn't Tolkien (hes the only one I allow) describing trees. Over all it was a cute book I dont know if ill read the second book though.

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things had the cozy atmosphere and a unique story idea. I liked it, but I didn’t love it.

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things ​​focuses on Calliope and her sisters, as they try to protect the small town that they dearly love. The catch is that in order to use their magic, they have to sacrifice a memory each time. Something that Calliope is all too eager to do as she tries to forget the abandonment of their mom and the other pains in her life. Things get more complicated once Lucien and his coven come to town, and Calliope and Lucien find themselves thrown together.

​I enjoyed this even more than Breanne Randall's debut book, The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic. I appreciated the diversity that was easily woven into this small town and the characters - it enhanced the story in unexpected ways. I also enjoyed the dynamic between the sisters, and I hope follow-up books will focus on Thalia and Eurydice.

The plot and "logic" of the lore/magic was a little hard to follow and complicated, and some of the descriptions were a bit lengthy and I found myself skimming through it at times. I would've loved to get more interactions between Calliope and Lucien. While it was dual POV, we only got a few Lucien chapters.​ I feel like we just got a taste of their enemies to lovers dynamic, and would've enjoyed seeing more banter to show how their attraction grew. ​

Overall though, ​once the story picked up, I read this book rather quickly and look forward to reading more books by this author.

Rating: ​4 stars
CW/TW: ​death of a loved one
Spice: 🌶️ (​a few brief/mild sex scenes)
Good for readers who: ​like a mix of Gilmore Girls and Practical Magic
Romance tropes: ​enemies to lovers, dual POV, small town romance

*Thanks to NetGalley & Random House for providing this ARC! All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Breanne Randall's Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things offers an atmospheric dive into a small town brimming with magic and family secrets. Pitched as "Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls," this novel certainly delivers on the cozy, witchy vibes and a strong sense of hereditary magic, which I always find heartwarming to read. The descriptions of baking and cooking were absolutely delightful, often inspiring me to head to my own kitchen! Plus, the inclusion of recipes at the end of each chapter was a truly charming touch.

The story follows Calliope Petridi, a witch grappling with a memory-costing curse tied to her magic, and a past she'd rather forget. When an ancient evil threatens her town and her coven's power, she finds herself reluctantly bound to the handsome leader of a rival coven. This setup promises intriguing chemistry and a journey of self-discovery, which definitely pulled me in.

However, while many aspects were enjoyable, I did find myself a bit frustrated with some of the character choices. Being primarily in Calliope's head, there were moments where her decisions and reactions felt a bit perplexing. This, combined with some of the side characters not quite clicking with me, occasionally pulled me out of the story. I also found the motivations and behavior of the romantic interest, while adding to the drama, to be a touch unbelievable at times.

Overall, Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things is a good pick if you enjoy a story with plenty of messy drama and a touch of enchanting magic. It's a debut that showcases Breanne Randall's talent for creating atmospheric settings and intriguing magical systems. While it didn't quite hit all the marks for me, it was still an entertaining read.

Absolutely adored this cozy, witchy tale! Talking grimoire, charming town, sisterhood vibes, and delicious spells made it simply magical.

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things by Breanne Randall was such a fun and enchanting read! From the first chapter, I was hooked by the mix of magic, mystery, and a main character navigating a world she never expected to be part of.

Willow’s voice is sharp, funny, and vulnerable in all the right ways. Being suddenly dropped into a magical small town filled with secrets, hidden family history, and a brewing magical conflict? Yes, please. I loved the way Randall blended contemporary YA with witchy elements—it felt like Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls with a twist of something darker underneath.

The friendship dynamics, especially between Willow and the other witches, added depth and heart. And while the romance didn’t dominate the plot, it was sweet and added just enough spark to keep me rooting for it.

The pacing was great, and I loved uncovering the magical lore alongside Willow. If you enjoy stories about finding your place, embracing your power, and uncovering family secrets (with a side of spells and sass), this one’s for you.

I absolutely loved Breane Randall's first book and when I heard this book was a Charmed Meets Gilmore Girls, I was like "Sign Me Up"!!!

I liked the idea of this book but it turned out ok for me. It didn't quite hook me in like her first book. Maybe I had a higher expectation when reading, and I just got disappointed when the book played on.

I would say, if you go in blindly, it might be a better read.