This book has a seed of something good, but was badly in need of editing. It should be 20-30% shorter in my opinion, a lot here feels extraneous or drawn out. Evie is a difficult main character to root for because she seems deliberately oblivious. 

I loved this book. I will say, I am glad I was forewarned that this is not a rom-com. I think it was somewhat marketed that way, and the initial premise of waking up married to a stranger in Vegas sounds like the start of a rom-com. There is romance in this book, but more than anything it is a book about burnout and mental health, barriers in academia (for Black women specifically in the case of the protagonist), and defining your own life goals rather than allowing them to be set by outside pressure and prestige. 

Grace is a well-written protagonist, and I found I continued to root for her even at times she was lashing out or allowing herself to implode or making what might be seen as questionable decisions. The tensions she felt within herself were clear throughout - should she placate her overbearing and ambitious father, or should she live a life she can enjoy? Does she want to push for prestige and success in her chosen field, or does she want to prioritize happiness? How much of life should be eaten up by work and achievement? I think these struggles are extremely relatable, particularly as the millennial generation grapples with the economic fallout of the pandemic. Morgan Rogers wrote these struggles with understanding and sensitivity, and did not shy away from the occasional darkness of mental health struggles.

I loved Yuki, Grace's wife as well. In particular, Yuki's presence brought the metaphors around monsters and lonely creatures which I thought were woven in beautifully to the text. The found family in this book, both Yuki's roommates and Grace's friends in Portland were beautifully supportive and flawed humans. 

This book is sticking with me, having finished it a little while ago. It touched and moved me and I will look forward to reading more by Morgan Rogers. 

I enjoyed this book. Stylistically, the prose was simple and straightforward, which somehow lent to the cozy feel. The premise and rules of the time travel were interesting, and lent to touching vignettes. This was not a top favorite for me, but I enjoyed it as a peaceful and meditative read. 

This book is a balm for the burnt-out. It is slow, meditative, and charming. I liked the idea of the world, and the thought that humans had learned to set boundaries on their conquest and supremacy--what an idea honestly. I would have appreciated lingering a bit more with the tea service before taking off, however the journey was enjoyable. The messaging around being versus doing is a focus area for me in the past year or so, and I appreciated the way it was expressed here. I look forward to reading the second novella (currently on hold in my Libby!)

(Also, to those saying they/them does not work in literature, you are quite simply wrong. It did not add confusion to the text to have our protagonist be non-binary, and I honestly look forward to more inclusion in literature in this area. Singular they/them is not new.)

This is a fun romp. Picture a Hallmark romance set in Halloweentown and basically that’s what you have here. It’s fast paced and a quick read, with fun characters and details. I will say, I listened to the audiobook and I found the voice the narrator used for the main character really grating, so personally I would steer away from that option and read this on paper. Solid 3.5 star rom com.

This is THE cozy, witchy fall read of the year (it’s early in the season but I’m willing to call it). I loved the cast of characters, and the beautiful sense of chosen family throughout this book. The slight slow burn on the romance was perfectly paced. The characters were both diverse and sensitively written, with just the right level of eccentricity. In the first half the stakes perhaps felt low, but once some secrets came out, the stakes were clarified and I was hooked for the rest of the book. 

The themes in this book- such as home, belonging, found family- were fairly explicitly stated and perhaps lacking in subtlety, however with how well written the characters were to back up these themes that didn’t bother me. Overall this was just the book I hoped it would be! 

I picked this up expecting a light and cute fall read and it surpassed my expectations- especially in the last 20% of the book. I felt like the ending did an exceptional job of tying up loose ends and landing the themes from throughout the text. 

I really loved the magic system in this book, and the way different individuals experienced magic differently. The (sapphic! Yay!) romance was sizzling and the chemistry, connection and stakes definitely drew me in. The sense of home and searching for home as portrayed in this book was surprisingly poignant. 

I honestly loved this and look forward to reading the rest of the series! 

I liked this book for the most part, and at under 300 pages it was a quick read. I did feel the ending was abrupt - either that, or the meat of the story I’d really love would be a sequel to this. 

The back blurb talks about this book as being “set against the backdrop of a post-#MeToo Hollywood” and that is apt, but despite hints throughout the text, it’s only explicitly discussed in the last 30 pages or so. The seed of the idea I would love to see explored further is a journalist warning Fiona about what she will face going public, and specifically how she isn’t the “perfect” victim that will have everyone on her side. This a true phenomenon and major problem (see Depp-Heard trials recently…), but it’s all backlash that Fiona will face after this book ends. 

What I did like about the book was that the chemistry between the leads felt genuine, sweet, and palpable. I also felt like PTSD was portrayed with accuracy and for the most part, sensitivity. I enjoyed a lot about this book, I just found it left me wanting more.