Thanks to Netgalley & PENGUIN GROUP- Young Readers for the E-ARC! Loved the setting & the witchy vibes. A fun concept too. Will read more from this author.

When a young Nova wishes her dad would never come home, she never expects that he will actually disappear.

7 years later Nova is still feeling immense guilt over her father disappearing, and is devastated to learn her moms new friend (a local psychic) is encouraging her to move on, give up the hunt and let her husband be declared dead (in no small part so Nova can get college assistance being from a single parent/income family now)

Nova sets out to destroy the reputation of said psychic, but when she accidentally sets a curse on her crush/quasi enemy its up to her to find the magic wishing well of legend to reverse the curse on Kiara, and maybe she can get her father back too.

What transpires is a trek through a dangerous woods with a ragtag group of high schoolers all out to try and save Kiara from her increasingly dangerous and bad luck.

This was a story of growth, and found family and accepting that even if things are bad you can count on your tribe to help you through and uplift you.

I went into this expecting a sapphic love story to be the main focus and instead I found a story of a girl learning to trust and heal and overcome her prejudices to rely on people to help her. It's a coming of age story that despite the horrors they stumble upon in the woods somehow makes you want to go camping with your besties all the same?

Readers, watch out for Hit Me With Your Best Charm by Lillie Vale. It's out in July and will be one of your favorites.

A FALL FESTIVAL is what got me about this book! the perfect fall read for 2025 or SUMMERWEEN 2025! The side characters:
The sapphic romance is giving the most enduring love of all!
The pacing and writing are very whimsical and lush!
The plot had mystery and magic with romance and side quest! the perfect trifecta! This definitely reminded me of the Ex Hex and t felt really good.

Perfect if you love:
Who's missing you? Let's go on an adventure!
Slowburn YA Sapphic
Paranormal Magic including a hidden well
Heartfelt moments discussing sensitive topics such as grief

Thank you so much to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this arc!

**Features:**

- Small town setting with a mysterious, and perhaps magical, past
- Sapphic YA romance
- Deals with grief and loss of a parent

**Synopsis:**

Seven years ago, Nova’s father disappeared into the woods he knew so well never to return. Unable to live with the uncertainty of his fate, Nova has stubbornly looked to the Longing Woods for answers while everyone, including her mother, moves on. Hoping to confront the mysterious psychic to whom Nova believes is responsible for her mothers willingness to ‘give up’ on her father, she attends the Fall Festival on the anniversary of her father’s disappearance. But what is supposed to be her moment of triumph quickly goes sideways when she accidentally curses her secret crush, Kiara. With Kiara’s safety at risk, Nova has no choice but to lead her and her group of friends into the woods in search of a legendary magic well. But does the well even exist? Could this journey to save Kiara be the perfect opportunity for Nova to finally find the answers she has been looking for?

**Thoughts:**

2.5 Stars

This rating kind of hurts my heart because there’s quite a bit here to enjoy. It reminded me a little of “The Lost Story” which I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, for me, the writing really became its own worst enemy. It’s a bit hard to explain because there are definitely some great sentences and descriptions when you look at them in isolation. However, there is frequently something slightly wonky with the order in which information is presented or in how one idea flows into the next. Important details suddenly pop in without preamble and leave our focus just as quickly. To try and sum it up: it’s clunky in a really unusual way that interrupted my ability to become truly immersed.

I really felt for the main character Nova and loved how this story tries to approach grief; especially in the absence of true closure. However, the aforementioned writing style sucked a lot of the life out of the quieter moments and potentially meaningful dialogue. To me, it felt like we were going through the thoughts and motions without ever really finding the true heart of it. I still found Nova’s relationship with Kiara endearing and there are some interesting twists in store. However, you will have to be patient and push through the first half of the book to get there. Ultimately, this book wasn’t really for me, but mileage will definitely vary.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

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

I really enjoyed this witchy tale talking grief, family, and accepting your romantic feelings.

This story has wonderfully charming characters, great LGBT representation and surprising twists. Our main character is ultimately faced with a very hard decision between undoing a hex placed on her father or her friend Kiara. The stakes are high in this one.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. But let's be honest just about most books with a touch of magic are going to be a must read for me.

Even though this is said to be a YA book; I would say it's more "new adult" as the characters are all around 17-years-old (senior year of high school) and it's not something that I would give to a middle-schooler to read. It touches on some socially relevant ideas/ideals for our current social climate. I really liked the cast of characters that the author created in the small town of Prior's End, on the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This has some great world-building with the Longing Woods and touches of magic. A young woman, Nova, is trying to come to terms with the loss of her father and is just realizing that "words have power" and one should always be cognizant of the fact that you empower them by putting them out into the world. She and an unlikely group of other kids from her class, set off on an adventure into the Longing Woods to help a mutual friend get rid of a curse; by the next full moon. These woods have been mysterious and unforgiving at times; will they be able to achieve what they are setting out to do?

Hit Me with Your Best Charm is such a fun, lighthearted read! Nova and Kiara's chemistry is adorable, and the small-town magic adds a unique twist to the romance. It’s full of charm, humor, and a touch of sweetness. Perfect if you're looking for a quick, feel-good romance with a bit of whimsy!

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.