I think the first book in the Witches of Thistle Grove series is still my favorite, but this one slid in as a close second. Okay, maaaaaaybe some of that is because these are the two books so far in the series with sapphic romances at the fore, I am a lesbian after all, but still. This book picks up where Back in a Spell left off, with Delilah dealing with the after effects of a spell that damaged her and left her unable to depend on her own memory and mind. 

There’s more town history introduced, and the arrival of the first non-human characters in Thistle Grove, but I found myself wishing we’d spent a little more time with some of the other characters. It felt like a lot of Delilah alone, with Ivy or Cat popping in—but at the same time, part of what she’s dealing with internally is her inability to open up to people, so I supposed that isolated feeling is warranted here in a way.

Lana Harper has a way with writing about trauma and its after effects that really gives you a feel for the characters without being too heavy handed. Much of this story focuses on dealing with the consequences of actions, both within and outside of the characters’ control. Delilah’s rage and fear, learning to open up and trust the people around her even in the face of betrayal, was handled very well. The ending was left more open than previous installments, but I have a feeling that may be revisited in the next book.