Prior’s End is a place filled with magic, though the town has lost much of its luster for seventeen-year-old Nova since her father disappeared seven years ago. The annual Fall Festival has begun, and as its commencement marks the anniversary of her father’s disappearance, Nova is traditionally uninterested in participating. However, this year she decides to attend the festival, if only to confront the psychic who is convincing her mother to move on. But when Nova unwittingly curses someone she likes as more than a friend, disaster arrives in frequent and unexpected ways. And as the full moon draws closer, it is up to Nova to reverse the curse before time runs out.

This lovely and haunting young adult novel is beautifully written, incorporating descriptive phrasing and details to illustrate not only Nova’s surroundings but her experiences, as well. Told in the first person from Nova’s perspective, the narrative paints a clear picture of Nova’s emotions and understanding of the world, permitting readers to better empathize with her situation. Initially unwilling to participate in any sort of discussion of magic, Nova is unwittingly thrust into a supernatural conundrum that she has no means of avoiding. As the narrative progresses, the plot becomes increasingly more sinister, adding elements of horror to its otherwise mystical foundation. Themes of grief, LGBTQIA+ characters, and community relationships appear throughout the novel, and these help lend the narrative a layer of depth beyond its magical and mysterious elements. Well-suited to a young adult audience because of the age of the protagonists and the depth and intensity of the plot, this is a tense and thought-provoking addition to library collections for teen readers, and it is primed for a sequel.

Very descriptive when she describes the forest and the feeling of fall like you can almost feel it. She also encompasses the maturity and determination of Nova as she struggles with the grief of loosing her father but not giving up or letting go. There are also many moments that she is spot on with the life of an awkward teenager with experiences and inner monologues. The fact they named the group as the fellowship of the fling had me giggling unexpectedly. Was not expecting death ghost and murder wrapped up in a happy ending bow. The book was a wild trip.

Thank you to Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group & Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hit Me with Your Best Charm was a cute YA sapphic read that really shows us the power of words. Set in the town of Prior’s End, Nova <italics>accidentally</italics> hexes her crush. The story follows Nova and Kiera & their friends, <italics>the fellowship</italics> through the woods that Nova lost her father to 7 years ago in their journey to find a cure for the curse and hopefully find Nova's dad.

The book started off so strong for me but unfortunately I struggled a bit with the middle and picked back up in the last 20 or so. I do feel this book just might not have been for me and I do think others will enjoy it.

This book has the makings of all of my favorite things: sapphic, rivals to lovers, small town, paranormal, and black-cat main character, so I was definitely sold based on the tropes alone. This YA novel is heartfelt and charming, the romance is sweet, and their banter is so much fun, however the pacing is off and some points feel repetitive. The beginning is a slow start but it does pick up a little after half way and the ending is a bit rushed.

Nova is a great character, she’s relatable and displays vulnerability while expressing her grief, and her growth keeps you invested in the story. Kiara felt a little unfinished and lacked depth.

Think before you speak. However Nova doesn't think first and puts a hex on her dad and a potential girlfriend. The hexes are years apart and she doesn't know how to fix them. A group of kids go into the forest to look for a magic fountain that will remove a hex. What a trip that is. Heart pounding. Adrenaline rushing story. And even some romance.

I like all the different strings of the book. And that ending! WOW. A good book for sure.

Thank you NetGalley for the book!

I was excited for the fall and magical feels of this book, but only felt grieving. The style of writing was not for me and the timing felt off. I enjoyed the ideas and set up of this book. It felt very Hocus Pocus, but just missed the mark in the story telling.

the characters sometimes felt younger than they actually were which made it harder to connect to them. The beginning of the story was very slow and I had to get into it but once it got to the 70-75% mark I was a little more into the story. I usually love witchy books but this one wasn’t it for me

Witchy, warm, and full of heart, Hit Me with Your Best Charm is a queer rom-com wrapped in small-town magic and emotional depth. Nova and Kiara’s slow-burn romance sparkles with tension and charm, while the whimsical world of Prior’s End adds a cozy, enchanted backdrop. With hexes, heartfelt quests, and just the right mix of humor and heartache, this is a delightful coming-of-age tale that casts a sweet spell.

Following Nova Marwood in the slightly magical town of Prior’s End, Hit Me with Your Best Charm is a delightful and touching novel about friendship, grief, and teenage crushes. I was very much pulled in by the descriptive writing with the imagery. Whenever the characters are in the forest, the writing feels at its best. It’s so easy to immerse yourself in this world, and it’s one of the novel’s biggest strengths.

I quite liked Nova; she felt like a realistic teenager who made teenage choices, but her strength and interiority held the heart of this novel together very well. After casting a bad luck charm on her crush, Kiara, she sets out with her and her friends to try and undo the bad luck curse. It’s a solid plot, but there is a missed opportunity, because I thought there would be a little more magic than there was. This was not a total loss, but it was a little surprising. Supporting characters-wise, there are times where this novel falls into very repetitive dialogue/conflicts between characters, but they balanced each other out very well once the novel finds its footing, which isn’t until a little over the halfway point.

The pacing fluctuates here; I struggled a bit in the beginning, but once we got 60% in, it flows a lot better. So, a slow start, but a stronger finish, which maybe could have been better handled if we jumped to the forest quicker.

Not spoiling, but there is something that happens with a character right towards the end that I am still so unsure about the choice. It was a bit unexpected of a turn, and since the novel was over by that point, we do not get enough time to reconcile with the feelings it brings up, so it ends up just feeling oddly thrown in there for a shock. Like, I feel a bit distraught over it, but if we were given more time to sit with it, it might’ve had a better overall effect. Now, I’m just wondering too much about the aftermath, which we do not get to see.

I think this is a cute book and the actual romance between Kiara and Nova is very sweet, their banter is on point. And above all else, Nova’s journey with grief and her inner turmoil is the most fleshed out here, and makes the novel worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers/Viking Books for the free ARC!!!

LET ME TELL YOU. WITCHY SAPPHIC. PARANORMAL. SCOOT PILGRIM. LITERALLY OBSESSED WITH THIS ONE. NEED I SAY MORE. Comes out July 15 🥹💕HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Thanks you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

The story, plot, and characters were fabulous. I loved the book overall, however I am 63 and got really hung up on the slang. I know I'm not the YA audience the book was written toward, but perhaps a page with the slang words and definitions at the beginning of the book would help.

It made me pause and have to look up the word for a definition several times which deflected from my reading.

Overall I loved it other than the one clip.

This book was adorable! Just enough adventure and fun that made it a blast to read. Though Nova's story is a magical one, the complexity of real life emotions makes this an emotional read. As they embark on their quest, Nova and Kiara have great banter that is quite swoonworthy!

This book was adorable! The magic in the book was just the right amount. And the romance was so cute and banter filled.

A super cute witch romance. about not denying who you are and what you are fated to be in life. The characters are loveable and it's a great book to watch the growth of the characters.

This book was a complex story about a teenage girl dealing with grief, loss, and romantic interests. Nova, a seventeen-year-old girl is grieving her father who got lost in the woods seven years ago. When her mother proposes moving forward, she puts up a wall and decides to go find a secret wishing well that the town talks about. After accidently but not accidently cursing her rival, Nova feels the need to help her with the well too. So, she takes her rival, or her secret love interest? And her group of exes into the forest to find this well. In a story about trust, adventure, and love, the teenage characters handle the complex feelings of moving on but not leaving behind.

“Hit Me With Your Best Charm” boasts a fantastic premise that immediately grabbed my attention. I particularly enjoyed the subtle hints of magic woven throughout the narrative, which added an enchanting layer to the story. However, I really struggled to connect with Nova, and many of the characters felt somewhat two-dimensional. Their lack of depth made it difficult to become fully invested in their journeys. Despite these shortcomings, the imaginative elements and creative world-building left me with a positive impression, making it a worthwhile read for those who appreciate a touch of magic in their stories.

The book started off strong and interesting when Nova accidentally places a hex on someone. I did enjoy that Nova felt remorse for doing this and decided to help Kiara try to undo the hex. It felt as if the book was lacking plot during the middle portion. Nova and her group of friends spent a lot of time disagreeing about things and just didn't really seem to go anywhere. This book is definitely targeted towards teens more than young adult in my opinion.

Nova's two best friends get stuck guarding the entrance of the forest for most of the book so I felt as if they were almost pointless characters to add into the story. I did enjoy Nova's developing friendships with both Kiara and Tayla. I did find it a bit surprising that Kiara had so many exes and that somehow they were all still friends with her. I feel as though teenagers can be a bit spiteful and resentful especially when it comes to relationships, so this part felt a bit unbelievable to me.

I did expect the ending, however the part about Tayla did surprise me. This book was a decent read, but I do wish there was more magic like the cover of the book would lead you to believe. Thank you to Netgalley, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, and Lillie Vale for an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion.

This was a cute, though I wouldn’t necessarily call it cozy since the stakes were a bit too high for that. I loved the Fellowship of the Fling and how many of the characters were bi. Evan was my favorite ex. I also liked how the book kept me guessing whether what was happening was magic or coincidence. I enjoyed the mystery of the forest and the tiny touch of House of Hollow creepiness to the explanation for the people wandering there. Although—not gonna lie—when time started distorting I was really hoping they’d wandered into a faery realm.

I do wish Nova and Kiara’s relationship had included a bit more enemies-to-lovers banter and been better developed. Since Kiara was absent for a good chunk of the book, I felt like that took away from their love story. Nova’s fixation on superficial appearances also bothered me a bit at times, although that’s not necessarily unrealistic for a teenager. I liked the choice Nova had to make, but didn’t feel Kiara’s immediate forgiveness seemed earned.

I didn’t care for the twist at the end—especially since I saw it coming a mile away, that trope is one of my pet peeves, and it kind of got swept under the rug right after the reveal rather than being given the weight it deserved. That twist and the epilogue would’ve felt more fitting in a horror novel instead of a fluffy fantasy.

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

This story is a YA book, and I am not the intended audience, though I do enjoy this genre. Hence, why several times I had to look up references to slang that was written into the book. I find this to be a flaw, however, as a book should be able to stand the test of time, and any slang should be explained in the text, or a footnote. That way all readers, now and in the future, will understand.

The copy I was given, please note, is a rough draft, and this may be corrected in the final edition. However, other books that have done this did not in the final edition, so cannot say how it will go.

I liked the characters, and the plot of the quest, but I felt the makeup of so many trans, and gay folks was a bit much and unrealistic. Though it is possible to have a bunch of friends that come together that have the same sexual orientation, this is suppose to be both enemies and friends, and it seems to not be that natural of a makeup of what you would find in a normal teenage group. But, again, I am not the intended audience, so it is possible the people this book was written for is for this segment of the population.

I was hoping there would be more magical elements, and though there is some, this book is more of a coming of age style story. It is more about the relationships of the teens, and their place in the group, the city, and their own lives. Especially our protagonist who has been majorly changed by the disappearance of her father.

The middle of the book is slow, and I have to admit to wanting to skip ahead. The beginning, and the end have a lot of plot, development, and character portrayal that I enjoyed the story, but feel the middle went on about two chapters too long. But, overall, this is a book that was enjoyable to read, and do recommend for the intended group it was aimed at…high schoolers, especially those in the LGBTQ+ community.

"Hit Me with Your Best Charm" by Lillie Vale had so much potential, but ultimately it didn’t quite hit all the marks for me. Let’s dive in! 🤿✨

The premise of the book is super intriguing! 🧙‍♀️ Nova accidentally hexes Kiara, leading to a curse that could ruin everything. That magical twist hooked me right from the start. I loved the small-town setting with its charming mystical vibes. 🌙✨ Nova's journey to figure out the curse while also grappling with her feelings for Kiara kept me curious throughout the story.

But… 🤔 the characters, especially Nova, left me feeling a bit mixed. She’s relatable and vulnerable with her grief over her dad’s disappearance 💔, but at times her behavior felt a little bratty and hard to connect with. 😬 Kiara, on the other hand, is sweet, but I wanted more depth from her—there was a lot of potential there that didn’t quite get explored.

The romance between Nova and Kiara is cute, though it’s a very slow burn 🔥. Honestly, I was waiting for a bit more tension and spark, but it didn’t quite live up to the build-up. While the chemistry is definitely there, it felt like the plot meandered a little too much without getting to the heart of their relationship until late in the book. 🥰

The pacing was a little hit or miss. Some chapters dragged, and I found myself skimming through parts of the story that felt repetitive or didn’t add much to the overall plot. 😕 I also felt that some subplots (like Nova’s friendships) took away from the main story, which made it harder to stay engaged at times.

Overall, I did enjoy the book—there’s something about the magical world and Nova’s growth that kept me invested. But I just wish there had been more depth to the characters and a tighter plot. It’s fun, light, and magical, but doesn’t quite have the oomph I was hoping for. 🌈✨

Definitely worth reading if you’re into magical realism, but don’t expect a rollercoaster of emotions or a fully fleshed-out romance. 🎢❤️