YA sapphic witchy fantasy! Loved the whimsical, small town setting. Cute, fun, fall read with tons of banter and romance.

Hit Me With Your Best Charm by Lillie Vale is a mystical mystery with a few dark twists and turns. It starts off slow but Nova is a likeable main character. I like how much she cares about her family and wants to make things right with her relationships and even the town. The teenage angst is there, along with her crush and the tenuous friendships, and it makes for a believable story with supernatural elements. Overall this was a solid read that is a great choice for fans of Practical Magic and Sabrina.

Hit Me With Your Best Charm blends magical realism, queer romance, and a hint of mystery in the quirky, superstitious town of Prior’s End—where charm isn’t just a vibe, it’s practically a local law. Lillie Vale delivers a premise full of whimsy, emotion, and diverse representation. Unfortunately, while the book is charming in many ways, it didn’t entirely hit the mark for me.

Let’s start with the strengths: Vale creates a richly imagined world where magic feels almost plausible, and the LGBTQIA+ representation is vibrant and heartfelt. The dynamic between Nova and Kiara—the central “fake-enemies, real-crushes” pairing—is compelling and packed with slow-burn tension. There's also an unexpected twist toward the end that repositions the story for a potential sequel. While I didn’t love the twist (more on that below), I respect the boldness of it and can see it opening up fresh storylines.

Where the book falters is in its pacing and emotional payoff. The first half drags, bogged down by repetitive dialogue and conflicts that don’t quite evolve. Supporting characters, while entertaining, often feel stuck in loops until the story finally finds its rhythm—around the 60% mark. From there, the momentum improves dramatically, leading to a faster-paced final act. That said, this sudden shift comes at a cost: the ending feels rushed, especially when a major character decision occurs that left me unsettled. It felt abrupt, emotionally unprocessed, and wasn’t given the narrative space it needed to resonate. Without spoilers, it introduced emotional weight that the story didn’t fully carry through, leaving lingering questions and an odd sense of narrative imbalance.

Additionally, the journey to the fabled wishing well—arguably one of the most intriguing plot points—takes a bit too long to kick in. I can’t help but feel the novel might have benefited from diving into the forest and its magic earlier, which could have tightened the plot and given more time to explore the story’s deeper themes.

In the end, Hit Me With Your Best Charm is a solid YA read with real heart, a unique setting, and standout representation, but it’s also a book that stumbles with its pacing and emotional follow-through. Still, I’m intrigued enough to see where book two goes—and I hope it gives us a little more time to sit with the characters and their choices.

✨ 3.5 stars, rounded up ✨

Hit Me With Your Best Charm is a YA magical realism story with a fun premise, but it wasn’t a perfect hit for me.

There’s a lot to love: diverse LGBTQIA+ representation, magical elements woven into everyday life, and an unexpected twist at the end that definitely sets things up for a sequel. That said, I didn’t love the twist—I had started to feel a relationship build with the character involved with the twist and it felt abrupt and unfair and then not really followed up on.

The pacing was uneven throughout. The middle dragged a bit and felt longer than it needed to be, while the ending suddenly kicked into overdrive and left me wanting more development. Still, I can see a lot of readers loving where this series is headed next. A solid read with a few bumps in the road. I’ll be curious to see how book two picks things up!

This story was absolutely adorable! Teenage romance, with just a hint of witchiness. Nova is a high school student and descendant of Henry Pryor, the namesake for the town of Pryor's Landing. Her father, Jules, used to take her into the woods to explore, so she grew up feeling quite at home in the woods. Unfortunately, he disappeared years ago after Nova said some harsh words, and she thinks she's responsible. She continues to search for him, and the mythical wishing well supposedly discovered by Henry Pryor, but to no avail. Her mother seems almost ready to move on, prompted by the words of a psychic (who Nova thinks is a sham), so Nova goes to the fair festival to confront the psychic. She is not in the tent, but Nova''s crush, Kiara, is. Nova says that Kiara will be struck with bad luck, spurred by a desire to both discredit the psychic and dim some of Kiara's shine. Unfortunately, the hex becomes real, and Kiara starts struggling with VERY bad luck. Radhika, also a descendent (adopted) of Henry Pryor, Kiara's ex and friend, reaches out to Nova to request she lead Kiara to the wishing well to undo the hex. Nova reluctantly agrees, feeling partially responsible for the hex, only to be dismayed when Kiara insists on bringing her exes now friends, Tayla, Radhika, Keiffer, and Evan along. The group attempts to find the wishing well, with characteristic banter and high school romance. Kiara and Nova grow closer throughout the quest, but the group is plagued by mysterious signs, missing gear, and other tricky situations.

The characters are very engaging, with lots of LGBT representation. There's also an unexpected twist at the end that I thought was positively delightful. The magic in this story is subtle, but it was a very cute and breezy read. Although YA, I think adults looking for a whimsical tale will enjoy it just as much. I would very much recommend this story, and I'm looking forward to new books by Lillie Vale!

It was a cute witchy paranormal adventure. I liked it! This normally isn’t my go to but i enjoyed it!

This book felt like falling into a soft, witchy daydream laced with heartache, humor, and the kind of yearning that catches you off guard. The romance is sweet and prickly, the friendships are chaotic and full of charm, and the journey toward healing feels like a love letter to everyone still trying to find their footing in a world that doesn’t always make sense. This story made me ache and grin in the same breath. I loved every single page.

I wish I liked this more than I did. The premise was interesting, but it kinda lost me. It didn't really start to pick up until close to 70ish percent. The sapphic slow burn romance was sweet, and I didn't see the end with Tayla coming so that was cool! I was a little confused by the epilogue, but it left it open for more books in this world. Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital ARC!!

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!