“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. 🎢❤️

So...like...this would have been moderately okay if not fir the fact that literally ALL of the actual action took place in the last 17% of the book. Until then? So. Much. Navel gazing.

I didn't read the synopsis of the book and just dove in. Not sure I would have chosen to read this book, it was entertaining, just didn't feel like a YA book. I read to escape, the themes of grief was a little to close to home at this time in my life.

I ended up DNF'ing 25% through. It unfortunately didn't grab my attention enough to care to continue,

I love a book about complicated family relationships and magic and I also love sapphic rivals to lovers so this was a particularly fun book for me.

This was a very engaging book about love, family and magic. It’s a very sweet romance and very cozy - definitely worth a read!

I really enjoyed the last 25% of this book. I thought the characters were all well written, but sometimes they felt younger than they were supposed to be and it made it hard 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 it really picked up and I had a hard time putting it down.

What a great story! Can't wait to read more by this author!
Thanks Netgalley and to the author for the ARC!

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

Overall, "Hit Me with Your Best Charm" is a good fall read and an interesting YA sapphic rom-com. It's a bit reminiscent of Scott Pilgrim, mixed with some magical realism. As much as all of that speaks to me, I found myself wanting a little more from this book.

The main character, Nova, is attempting to break a hex she placed on her love interest, Kiara, by going to find the infamous wishing well deep in the forest. She reluctantly teams up with Kiara's exes. I liked the overall premise, however, the book's uneven pacing wasn't for me, with the book really picking up at the 80% mark. The ending felt rushed and we didn't get a chance to sit in everything that has happened to these kids. It was a quick read, but I would have rather had an extra chapter or two towards the end rather than at the beginning.

I did like the representation shown throughout the book, and thought it was done in a way where it was thoughtful and worked with the characters. Additionally, the balance between the romance and overall plot was nice and it didn't distract from what was happening.

Thank you to Viking / Penguin for an early copy of this book for review purposes. All thoughts are my own.

Perfect for spooky season but can be enjoyed anytime! Hit Me with Your Best Charm explored family, grief, magic and finding the ability to believe in yourself. A ya sapphic romance with The Ex Hex vibes.
Loved the small town and the authors take on witches. Definitely reads for a younger audience but can see this being a popular read this fall!

This book was such an easy read. To be honest, I didn’t realize it was YA until I started, but that didn’t even deter me from reading it. I started one night thinking I’d read a few chapters before bed, then ended up devouring it in like 2 sittings. Full of charm *hehe* and heartache, would definitely recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

This was just ok for me. I felt like the book was trying to do too much at once so the reader cannot grasp onto the story.

As someone who recently lost a family member I wasn’t even sure I was going to be able to finish this book after the first chapter. It’s a beautiful book about grief, family, love, and magic. I enjoyed Nova’s journey. I however wasn’t a fan of Kiara she seems like a brat. I did enjoy the book though.

houghts: This is a story about love, grief, family, magic, and believing in yourself. There are definitely issues that the characters have that work well for the age of them (17). I will say that Nova seemed like a brat more often than not, but I understood her issues. She lost her father when she was ten to the forest. He went into the magical forest to search for his friend and never came out again. This story takes place on the 7th anniversary of his disappearance as Nova’s mother, on the advice of her psychic friend, is about to declare him dead. In addition to that problem, Nova has feelings (that she denies) for the perfect Kiara. When Nova pretends to be the psychic one evening, she hexes Kiara to have problems.

Words have power, as Nova finds out. Could she also be responsible for the disappearance of her father?

The only way to undo the hex is to find the mysterious well deep in the forest and wish her hex undone. But which hex should she undo? The one for Kiara? Or for her father? Because you only get one wish.

This is a story with a lot of depth. With nastiness, and goodness, with lies and truths, and with difficult decisions that could change a life.

Recommended.

Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book from Netgalley and Viking with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

I thought the premise was interesting, but sadly I didn’t enjoy this book 😢

Seven years ago, Nova’s father went into the woods and didn’t come back.
After accidentally hexing her crush with bad luck, Nova embarks on a camping trip in the company of Kiara, the girl she likes, and all of Kiara's exes-turned-best-friends. Nova is hoping to find her town's fabled wishing well in order to undo the hex, and secretly hoping to find her father too.

What I liked: Nova and Kiara's relationship was cute, it was frustratingly endearing that Nova never picked up the signals that Kiara was sending her, and her self doubt and guilt prevented her from admitting to have a crush on the other girl.
I also enjoyed the fact that through most of the book we're left wondering if there’s actually a magic element or if everything is superstition, and maybe the characters only want to believe in the supernatural.

Apart from that, there were too many plot lines for my taste and I felt the story was all over the place. The book felt unnecessary lengthy, filled with extra dialogue and scenes that didn’t add anything to the story.
When the plot starts to pick up and make sense, we're already at the 75% mark.
Maybe readers who like lengthy dialogue and banter might enjoy this one more than me.