If you are looking for a cozy fantasy with a little bit of romance, I would suggest reading this book. I love the found family trope, so that was really refreshing to see. The magic elements in this book were so unique and the characters were completely lovable. It was a little slow moving for me in some chapters, but overall I thought this was a good read.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
# Pages: 400
Publication Day: 03.04.25

"I would say 'I'd die for you," he said in a low voice, tracing her cheek, the line of her jaw, outlining her lips. "But what's the point in that? I would live for you."

“Sometimes, the most powerful magic isn't in the spells we cast, but in the things we remember.”

* Romantasy
* Enemies To Lovers
* Forced Proximity
* LGBTQ+ Rep
* Small Town
* Shadow Daddy
* Witches
* Family Curse
* Light vs Dark Magic

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things by Breanne Randall was able to create a magical read with this one. I went into this hoping it was going to be a great read, I wasn’t disappointed.

This story was easier to follow this time and the plot/ sub plots were more clear. I’m hoping with how it ended, there is going to be a sequel. Just a few things that were missing and could be answered in another book. I also like that this read was more whimsical and didn’t feel as forced. All the things I truly hoped for because Breanne does have a beautiful and creative mind.

I did love the world building. The tea shop and small town sounded wonderful. The character development and magical system was very well thought out. The mix of memories intertwined with the magic and sacrifice was captivating. She definitely was able to execute the Charmed vibes with the sisterhood/ bond.

Calliope, FMC, accidentally binds herself to a rival coven's leader, Lucien, MMC. Which starts the intoxicating and forbidden love. Their romance and story is lovable and swoon worthy. I don’t want to go too much into detail with this because of spoilers.

I think overall, as Breanne continues to write her novels, things will continue to fall into place. I have definitely seen improvement in her writing. I would love to see more evenly paced. Maybe a little less detail in some parts to let the imagination do some work and not have some predictability. However, there was definitely a nice twist within the story. She holds a lot of promise for future works and I’m excited to see her journey continue. Thank you for more recipes in this book. I love that personal touch.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House for this ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and prh audio for the arc and alc.

This novel was delightful! It gave me Hocus Pocus and Pratical Magic vibes. I loved the bond between the three sisters. I also enjoyed the mystery/suspense/drama elements. Saskia Maarvelad did a great job narrating this audiobook, so I highly recommend both reading the book and listening to the audiobook narration!

3.5⭐️

This was a cozy paranormal/witchy romance that gives small town Gilmore Girls x Charmed vibes. I love a book with a sister relationship as the main part of the plot. We got family secrets, curses, prophecies, and a hilarious sentient book named Grim. I very much enjoyed that the FMC was bisexual and that her best friend was nonbinary. I think this would be an especially fun October read!

Overall, this book was pretty average for me. It got pretty repetitive at times. I really didn’t like the MMC. I was left a bit disappointed with how it ended.

Thank you to Dell Romance for a review copy in exchange for my honest review!

I love the themes of this book, enemies to lovers, sisterhood, family. But it was a hard read for me. It really didn’t hold my interest until the MMC was introduced. And even then after a few chapters I lost interest again. I love the author but this just wasn’t a book for me.

I loved this! It was such a great mix of mythical and just generally fun to read. It gives the same vibes as Gilmore girls or practical magic which is what originally made me so interested! It is dual POV, enemies to lovers and it explores some heavier topics such as loss of a loved one. This story is amazing and I am so happy I got the chance to read it!

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things will leave readers wanting more of this enchanting, mythical tale. A story that examines sisterhood, loss, and overcoming your past whilst fighting for the future told in a way that will leave readers laughing, crying, and begging for more.

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things is a delightful, cozy read with a unique magic system that adds a fresh touch to the story. One of my favorite elements was the charming sentient spell book - it brought such a fun and whimsical energy! The romance has just the right balance of drama, tension, and banter to keep things engaging without overpowering the lighthearted feel of the book. With its blend of magic, charm, and easygoing storytelling, this was a truly enjoyable read, perfect for when you want something fun and feel-good.

I am massive fan of Breanna Randall's first novel 'The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic' and so I was super excited to dive into this one. Unfortunately, I was a little bit disappointed. The reason why I loved the TUSOHAM is that there was so much space to connect to the characters and watch their interactions with each other, learn more about who they are as an individual you become emotionally invested in their story. I found that this book felt a little bit rushed, there wasn't a moment to get to know our FMC before the action just picked up. And while I think it is perfect for those who love witchy stories (which I do), I would have just loved a bit more time to get to see the relationship with the sisters, and their life (I was so interested in the tea and book shop and wanted to see more). I did enjoy myself though, I love a good witchy book and this would be a perfect read coming into the Halloween season.
What to expect:
Witchy Vibes
Magical tea and bookshop
Family Dynamics
Enemies to Lovers
Family Curse
Shadow Daddy

Thank you so much to Penguin Random House for my EARC

This book gives charmed like vibes with there magic and sisterhood. You have the older sister that doesn’t do magic one, the middle sister that barely uses her , and the younger sister that uses hers daily but it comes with a cost you give up memories for magic but you accidentally get bonded to the hot guy she can’t trust this is a good read and can’t wait for the next book

I absolutely devoured this book from the very first sentence and I could not put it down.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell and NetGalley for providing the opportunity to read and review e-ARC.

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things by Breanne Randall is a beautifully atmospheric tale blending magic, mystery, and self-discovery. The novel follows a woman returning to her hometown, only to unravel long-buried family secrets and a past she can't quite remember. The lyrical writing and rich world-building create an immersive experience, while the slow-burn tension keeps the pages turning. However, some plot points feel predictable, and the pacing lags in places. Still, the story’s enchanting magic system and emotional depth make it a compelling read for fans of witchy, folklore-infused fiction.

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten things promised to be a shadow daddy Pride and Prejudice meets charmed.

I suppose it delivered on that. There was a power of three sisters vibe, a dark and brooding shadow worker, and an enemies to lovers trope.

While I think the magic sisters protecting the magic of their town is a little overdone in witchy stories, I did like that the theme of releasing Prejudice because it clouds your sight refreshing.

An extra star to combat bigotry.

🔮 Witches
💔 Curses
🕯 Light vs Shadow
✨️ Sacrificing memories
😈 Ancient evil
❤️‍🔥 Sizzling chemistry

"Oh," Danny said, staring at Lucien, their eyes going wide. "Damn. Shadow daddy, indeed."

"Her life might be completely unraveling, but at least she had her cat, candles, and crystals."

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is my honest feedback about the book as an avid reader.*

This is my second book by Breanne & I can safely say that I thoroughly enjoy her writing. This particular book was full of so much culture & the recipes just make you so extremely hungry with their descriptions. The books is so incredibly cozy. Absolutely loved it!

I am curious if there will be another book or not. 👀

I honestly really loved this cozy witch book. It was such a beautiful story highlighting sisterhood and the strength of love between sisters which really hit home for me. As the oldest sister who had to raise her younger siblings, I really connected with Thalia and was able to understand the tough moments where Calliope was just trying to fix things even when it created a bigger mess. I thought the magic system in this book was unique compared to typical witch stories in that their magic was powered by sacrificing memories and those that are higher in value elicit stronger magic. The ending had me crying, but I honestly thought it was the best way to end it.

If I could trade memories for magic, I have to admit, I'd find the forgetfullness useful. Because my daily life is otherwise filled with walking through doorways and not remembering what I went in for.

overall pretty good! i really liked Lucien as a character, as well as the sisters. Our protag was a bit weaker as a char, and some of the magic system was a bit cliche, but in general it's a good romantasy. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

I really enjoyed this story. Romance, witchcraft, enemies to lovers, small town, family. Highly recommend.

Breanne Randall has done it again! Creating the small town we all wish we could live in, difficult family relationships, and a bond with a man she shouldn’t trust? I’m totally invested from chapter one

2.75 ⭐️ I really, REALLY wanted to absolutely fall in love with every aspect of this book - the premise, the characters, the setting - but I felt very confused, a little letdown, and a lot was left wanting more development across the board.

This book felt like it was trying to be 5 things at the same time and all at the same intensity. Smalltown ✔️ Unique magic system ✔️ Enemies-to-lovers ✔️ Food/Drink-themed ✔️ Shadow-daddy ✔️And while in theory this is all fine and possible... in execution here, it felt muddled.

We had a rich history and cultural love for Greek food and Greek heritage, but we're stuck in a small-town that's supposed to feel like family to the FMC and her sisters. It was whiplash as a reader, trying to feel such a strong connection to both places at the same time.

We had a unique magic system, but when we're constantly told "we don't know why or how it works like that, it just does" it feels less intriguing & with constant discoveries that (unfortunately) ask more questions and leave us with no answers, it doesn't feel immersive- it's frustrating. It feels like a band-aid slapped on and labeled, "it works like that because I said so."

The relationship in this story was rough for me. Insta-love? Insta-hate? Rivals-to-lovers? Enemies-to-lovers? "You're so annoying and frustrating and I hate everything you represent" for 80% of the book to quickly "F*ck me" and "I'll worship you"... I feel like the intricacies of this relationship should have been more fleshed out over the 400 pages we were given. I wanted to feel the push-and-pull right along with the characters and see them develop, but I just didn't see that happen.

If this book had spent more time in the tea shop or focused more on the shared memories and meals of the sisters, I would have felt more satisfied with how these elements were hapzardly thrown into the story as plot points. Everything sounded delicious, but it often felt out of place given the mood or surroundings.

The overuse of the term "shadow-daddy" is one thing, but the way it's played up for the MMC is almost cringe-y. He's meant to be multi-layered, incredibly powerful, and we discover deeper meanings to his motives throughout the story, yet he's constantly (and flat out called this by a character in the book) troped-up to just a dark-wielding heartthrob.

My final qualm about this book, is how it's being described/advertised. I feel labeling this as a magical, modern day Bridgerton is misleading and a more accurate description would include more contemporary terms (ex. witch-y smalltown romance, magical sisters and their whimsical tea shop adventures, generational magic & curses amidst a dark forest, etc).

I enjoyed parts of this book, truly I did, but I don't feel like what I stepped into was what I was promised before starting it. And after finishing it, the ending had me feeling very ambiguous and confused as to how so much and so little took place. Not only that, but the reader just had to accept unanswered questions that were integral to the entire plot.

I know this novel will find its place in the hearts of countless readers, I'm just sad I'm not one of them. But I wish the author all the success in the world when this book finally publishes and is reportedly being created into a TV series.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for giving me the opportunity to read this book early and share my honest review. All reviews will be posted to my socials (Netgalley, Goodreads, Fable, IG).