1/5 stars - This book was SO boring and slow. The waste of time the author spends on pointless exposition and boring conversations was too much for me to find anything redeeming from the bits of witchy-ness and enemies-to-lovers plot tease. I skimmed after over halfway after I just couldn't be bothered to spend any more time with these people.

Dnf @ 20%: I was excited when I got approved for this witchy, sapphic book because the premise intrigued me - small town fall festival, looking for her missing father, a curse, the legend of the mysterious wishing well… however, it did not deliver for me. The writing felt like it was geared toward a younger audience than standard YA, even though the characters are supposedly in their upper teen years. There were too many different plot lines that made the story feel jumbled, but then there were also some redundant parts in my opinion (ie multiple descriptions of places she thought to hide her hiking gear so no one knew she was looking for her missing father, even though she’d then explain why that wasn’t a good place to hide it… just trivial info). This book may be for some people, but it sadly wasn’t for me!

Honestly I feel like I’m more of a 2.5 but I’m going to just keep this at a three star rating. While I did enjoy parts of the book and found some things to be completely unexpected, I just found the book to be overall boring. I just wanted to get through it as fast as I could so I didn’t have to read it anymore, which shouldn’t be how you read a book. Then again, this book felt more paranormal thriller ya than anything else and I didn’t love the thriller part. It was creepy and completely unexpected. I’m still not sure how to take that ending. Overall it had a good premise and I did enjoy parts of it, I just don’t think it was a book for me.

I have to say I enjoyed the puny title of this one more than I actually did the actual story. But it wasn't the book it was me as reader.

“𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤, 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝. 𝐖𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐧. 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝.”

𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 7/15/25

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: Nova lost her dad to the woods years ago and never forgave herself for the last words she said to him. Along with carrying her grief, she also has a nemesis who she inadvertently hexes. Nova needs to work through her past to save her future. Set in a small town humming with magical current.

𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
🏕️ Magical Realism
🔮 Sapphic Romance
🏕️ Spooky Forest
🔮 Grief Journey

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: I wasn’t expecting this story to be what it was, but I really enjoyed it! I expected a more Rom-Com type witchy read and this was more of a magical realism grief journey with a romance subplot. At times the story was a bit slow for my taste but the more I read the more I loved it. It gives spooky, magical, and sweet all swirled together. Truly delightful.

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4.25/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

*Thank you @NetGalley and @PeguinTeen/Viking Books for Young Readers for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

#HitMeWithYourBestCharm

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!

unfortunately dnf @27% — i can see that the entire plot of this book stems from our fmc nova being a brat, and i’m not interested in a bratty fmc.

i’m sure this sapphic witchy romcom will find its audience, but it’s not me.

What did I just read?! I am so confused. 🤣
The cover art and cute title did not prepare me for what I just read. This book is not a cute witchy rom com. It was much darker and more paranormal than expected.
While this is YA, the writing was clunky at times, and the middle felt long, but the ending…
It was SO SO rushed… AND
Something really big happens/is revealed (which I suspected), and then it’s just like, oh yeah, that. And then everyone just ignores it, and the reunions at the end are so … weird and rushed.
But then there’s the epilogue… and no one seems to be talking about it. Like I think I know who the first person is, but the second… I am so confused, and how is this an epilogue and I now just have so many more questions.
Basically, I guess there was enough mystery to keep me engaged, even if it wasn’t what I expected, but then the end felt so disjointed, and the epilogue felt unnecessary and confusing… 🤷🏼‍♀️

Thank you to NetGalley, Lillie Vale, and Penguin Group for the eARC. This beautifully magical and emotionally rich story swept me away. Filled with wonder, romance, and moments of heartbreak, it was an enchanting read that kept me captivated from start to finish. Highly recommend!

So, I was really excited about this book. The cover is GORGEOUS. It's about magic and hexes (perfect to get me in the mood for Halloween 🎃). It has a little romance. The problem that I had, though? I really didn't end up liking this book. Before I go any further with the review, I don't think Hit Me with Your Best Charm is a bad book. I think I just expected something a little... more than what it was. 

I'm going to start with the characters because I think a lot of what I didn't like starts with the characters. Nova specifically made me so unbelievably mad at times. Now, to preface, she is only 17, but sometimes she acted like she was 12. All of the problems and "occasional magic" was caused by her volatile emotions. She's mad at Aurora, a psychic, for convincing her mom to declare her father legally dead since he's been  missing for seven years. So, when she gets to Aurora's tent and she's not there, instead of LEAVING, she tells her arch-romance-nemesis, Kiara, that she will have misfortune, bad luck, and sacrifice in her future. Like, Nova, even if it wasn't a real hex (which she only meant to scare Kiara anyway), words have power and mean something. She should've learned that with her dad, but nope. 

I liked all the other characters, but you really don't get a lot of development with any of them besides what their specific personalities are. You don't know what they do at school. You don't know what they like/dislike. They're just there to fill some empty space. Even Kiara was basic and just a "pretty" girl without much depth to her. 

With the plot, I loved the beginning with the letter about Prior's End and its history. That felt like a really strong start, after that and chapter one, I feel like it all kind of went downhill for me after that. I wouldn't say I was bored exactly, but basically after they find out Kiara is hexed, the group of 6 ish teens travel into the Longing Woods to find the wishing well that will let them undo Kiara's bad luck. The Longing Woods was a really cool concept, and many weird things (otherworldly, you could say) happen out there. But, again, just like the characters, I felt like the woods lacked depth and it stopped me from being truly pulled into the story. Alsoooo, the epilogue? I was beyond confused and trying to figure out who the proverbial, not-mentioned-by-name characters were, but I couldn't figure it out. Y'all help me please and leave a comment if you knew what the epilogue was supposed to be about 🙈. 

Honestly, this was going to be a three star read for me, but something that happened at the end REALLY threw me off (along with the epilogue), so it bumped down to two stars. I'll mention it in the spoilers below.

Spoilers ahead.

Okay, Tayla being dead? It seriously felt like the author put that in the book as a last minute addition. It all felt rushed, like there was only one or two big clues that were dropped in, and, to be completely honest, felt like it was there for an "emotional" ending and shock factor. This really knocked it down for me because it not only felt odd, but it felt like it came out of nowhere, and not in a good way. 

Overall, while I really didn't enjoy this novel, it's definitely not the worst thing I've ever read. I think it lacks depth and character development, but a younger audience may enjoy it more than I did. Two out of five stars for me, but, again, I think many people will enjoy this book even if I didn't. It has magic, a little romance, and a lot of folklore. A huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to have an advanced reader copy of Hit Me with Your Best Charm. 

**Will be posted on my blog on July 22 at noon CST

One of the best books I've read this year. An instant five star read.

Nova Marwood has spent the last seven years looking for her missing father. Every ounce of magic and wonder she once believed in as a girl is gone. As her mother finally prepares to move on after being stuck in stasis for so long, Nova can't help but feel angry and betrayed. Turning her ire on the source of her problems, Nova ends up accidentally hexing one of her classmates, Kiara, and all hell breaks loose. But, the only way to undo her mistake might also be the only way for her to find her missing father: a quest to a magical wishing well hidden deep in the woods. But the road is long and the path is dangerous. Can Nova, Kiara, and their friends make the trek before its too late?

This book was not what I expected it to be. Honestly, it was so much more. I expected a light hearted, ya romance with some witchy magic vibes. Instead, what I got was a deeply compelling, thought provoking read that left me on the edge of my seat with every page turn. Ms. Vale has given us a story filled with such depth and emotion that I'm going to be thinking about this read for years to come.

To say that I never saw the end coming would be an understatement. The way Ms. Vale wove so many different threads together into the most perfect ending... I applaud her. The characters in this book are all so well written. They're young, naive, and inexperienced but they aren't unintelligent. Their personality types are varied but they blend so well together. We have Nova, a pessimist who has lost all sense of wonder; Kiara, an eternal optimist and sunshine presence that you can't help but love; Tayla, headstrong and determined, a competitor to the core; Kieffer, the goofy and loveable jock; Evan, a little bit of a hippy and wise beyond their years; and Radhika, the gifted child who has to succeed. The interactions between them all were some of my favorite parts of this story. The friendship and camaraderie that grows between them as they move towards their goal was just everything.

I feel like I want to say so much more about this read but I'm at a loss for words. How do I tell you how amazing this was without giving all the twists and turns away? Realistically, this is one you'll need to read for yourself. I promise if you pick this one up, you won't regret it. But even if you did, if you find the wishing well, maybe you'll be able to undo that regret.

This book is exactly what you want to reach for when you’re craving something cozy, clever, and full of romantic tension with a magical twist. Hit Me with Your Best Charm blends small-town vibes with supernatural spark, and it absolutely works.

The magic here is soft and atmospheric, never overwhelming the emotional core. The romance unfolds with great pacing—slow enough to build tension but fast enough to keep the story moving. There’s banter, charm, and just enough bite to keep it interesting. Lillie Vale writes characters who feel real even when their world is tinged with spells and stars.

The themes of self-worth, belief in your own power, and choosing love without losing yourself really resonated. A couple of side characters felt a little underutilized, but the emotional throughline stayed strong, especially in the second half.

This is the perfect pick for readers who love witchy rom-coms, emotional payoffs, and stories that don’t take themselves too seriously but still know when to slow down and say something honest.

DNF

welp this took a turn. this book touches on a lot of grief and it's been difficult to connect to our MC. this was also reading a bit too young for me (and yes, i know it's YA). so bummed this one didn't work out for me.

thank you viking books for the ARC, all opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Eh. I struggled a bit to get through this one. The plot dragged pretty seriously once we got into part two. I also was a bit disappointed in the conclusion when the way to break the curse was so easily laid out in the hex itself which was barely ever acknowledged beyond a throwaway comment at the end. The rules of magic were messy and a bit sloppy. The attraction between the main characters (well, pretty much all the characters…) felt forced and unrealistic. It was decently enjoyable but a bit disappointing at the end. Not my personal favorite.

This book was amazing! The description was so vivid and this book kept me up all night.
I had a great time reading this book. Every time I put it down, I couldn’t wait to pick it back up again. That’s all I really want from my books, to fuel that desire of ‘I don’t want to stop reading you.’

Rating: 4/5
I received an ARC for my honest opinion

Priors End is a place where magic lives, and a secret wishing well. People from all over come to venture into the woods to find the well and make a wish, but sadly anyone who goes into the forest and goes off the trail remains stuck in the woods. Seven years ago, Nova’s dad went into the forest to look for his best friend, but neither of them ever returned. After the words of 10 yr old Nova said to her father before he left for the woods, she spent her free time venturing into the forest to look for her father with no luck. Until one day when Kiara’s best friend asks Nova to help Kiara with her strike of bad luck that has fallen upon her, and with Nova knowing exactly what happened to cause Kiara this strike she finally gives in and agrees to go.

I loved the plot of this book, and it was something different from my normal rom coms that I have been reading a lot of. This plot has a magical world built right on top of a normal small town, and most people of the town believe/or hype up the magic in their town (and who wouldn’t hype up their town and make a few extra dollars). I found the quest of trekking through the woods to locate this well so that they can make a wish to help Kiara with her horrible luck, to have fun, with mystery, a few scary moments and a lot of lessons to be learned. Learning to trust your gut, relying on your friends, understanding grief and loss, learning to let things go and so much more.

I found the characters to have been written well, they matched their ages in the book, you will find banter, hurt, shame and forgiveness. I liked that with each character you will see their character's growth throughout the book, but it was Nova's character that stood out the most for me. You will see her transform from an angry, hurt and sad person to someone who will be listened to too, someone who knows what she wants and someone who finally understands that words are more powerful than you would ever think. I loved that the author wrote her character with so many raw emotions, it helped me to be able to connect with her and her thoughts about what is going on and how she can change things. I loved this haunting ghost story and how people can overcome their struggles when they open to people around them and get their help. However, I didn’t see that ending coming.

I want to thank NetGalley and Penguin for the opportunity to review this book.

Prior’s End is famous for its Fall Festival, the wishing well hidden in a forest bristling with secrets, and Nova Marwood’s missing hiker father. She spends her time pretending she doesn't believe in magic, and that she doesn't have a crush on Kiara Mistry, who stole every other crush Nova ever had. When Nova lays an unintended hex on Kiara at the Fall Festival, Kiara’s survival is soon at stake. To reverse the bad luck, Kiara’s exes turned BFFs, plan to look for the wishing well, and the only one who can lead them there is Nova.

Magic is built into the reputation of the town and nearby forest, and Nova's intended prank to wish bad luck on perfect Kiara Mistry at the town's festival seems to come true. Kiara is still close friends with all of her exes, who band around her and suggest searching for the wishing well to save Kiara's life. Nova goes along out of guilt; while one of the exes is a relative and knows a little about the forest, Nova is the one who regularly hikes in it and whose father had run tours before he disappeared seven years before. Nova is snarky and often sarcastic, so even other characters don't know when she's joking. It's her idea to call their journey "The Fellowship of the Fling," which had me laughing out loud. Of course, she winds up learning more about the others during the hiking trip, and even about herself.

The finale of the book was heartbreaking in its own way. There are hard truths that everyone has had to face regarding the forest and the people hiking in it, and about those who got lost in the woods over the years. Magic isn't necessarily flashy here, but it's about intention and power, and the forest is very deep, very old, and very protective of its secrets. We really need the build-up for the ending to make sense, and I think it would work better without the epilogue. The story is done, and the epilogue tries to be mysterious and creepy, but ultimately lost some of the drama for me.

This YA paranormal novel will be one that some of my students will devour. It was a well done story about a teenager dealing with grief. This story was a little cheesy (in a good way) and filled with whimsy. It was a nice coming of age story but the 2nd half seemed a little off pace for me. Overall a cute read and one that will be enjoyed by some of my teen students due to the relatability of some of the characters and their experiences.

A story of grief and guilt, magic and wonder, determination and hope. The magic of the Woods is the most fascinating thing about this creepy story of magic, hexes, and things that go bump in the night - it’s like a living entity, trying to protect itself from people who want to exploit it and trying to help those who have good intentions. I’m still not quite sure why it became a black hole of sorts, keeping people trapped in its borders - maybe it thought they knew too much?

The cover and description of this book made me think it was going to be much more lighthearted and witchy, but in reality, Nova carried so much anguish from her dad’s disappearance and presumed death that not only did she stop believing in magic and wonder, she didn’t believe she deserved happiness and kept a wall around her heart. There are charms in the book, but Nova only resorts to them when it becomes clear that she’s accidentally hexed her enemy/crush Kiara.

While the premise of this book is a fascinating idea, the depth of character was lacking. I still don’t know why Nova and Kiara have been obsessed with each other so much, other than they are both apparently super pretty. I also don’t know why it took them so long to get together if they are as obvious with their crushes as their friends seem to think. Most of what Nova does is wildly inconsistent, and she can’t seem to make up her mind about anything - you could say that’s trauma response, but all the other characters are inconsistent, too. The whole time they are in the woods, they are all either getting along better than expected or suddenly bursting into conflict. I wanted to feel for Kaila’s curse situation, Nova’s guilty conscience, and the danger everyone was risking going into the woods, but I was mostly annoyed by their refusal to communicate and fluctuating attitudes. I never felt like I got to know anyone enough to truly care what happened to them, unfortunately.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin, and Viking Books for Young Readers for an advance copy of this book for review purposes.

DNF, so no review on the net; I only review books I finished.

I was led by cover copy and art to think this would be a cute teen romance with hexes and magic, and what I got was a lot of grief. I don't want more grief in my reading--I have enough in Real Life. And the writing didn't grab me enough to get me past that hump.

Okay this book is nothing like what it was expecting it to be. I know we are not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but this cover does not match this story in the least. I feel like the story is much darker than the cover portrayed. Which is fine I don’t have an issue with the story itself per say, but this book is truly about coming to terms with grief, and actions and the cover looks light and airy and like there will be a hex that brings together two people. Which does happen to a point but readers who pick up this book are going to be expecting one thing and being faced with something completely different. Overall, the story is okay. I wasn’t swept away by it. I do enjoy seeing someone’s processing about grief and friendships unfold. I think that there are things that readers could really resonate with. However, I still think they are going to struggle with that cover in place.
Thank you to Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.