{Review} Go Hex Yourself (Hex #1) by Jessica Clare

Page count: 384

Publisher: Berkley Books

Published on: April 19, 2022 

Genres: Adult romance, paranormal fantasy

Format: paperback - personally purchased

Goodreads synopsis:

When Reggie Johnson answers a job ad in the paper, she's astonished to find that she's not applying to work at her favorite card game, Spellcraft: The Magicking. Instead, she's applying to be an actual familiar for an actual witch. As in, real magic.

The new job has a few perks - great room and board, excellent pay, and she's apprenticing to a powerful witch. Sure, the witch is a bit eccentric. And sure, there was that issue with the black cat Reggie would prefer to forget about. The biggest problem, however, is warlock Ben Magnus, her employer's nephew and the most arrogant, insufferable, maddening man to ever cast a spell.

Reggie absolutely hates him. He's handsome, but he's also bossy and irritating and orders her around. Ben's butt might look great in a crystal ball vision, but that's as far as it goes. But when someone with a vendetta targets the household, she finds herself working with Ben to break a deadly curse. Apparently, when they're not fighting like cats and dogs, things get downright...bewitching.

✨ Rating: 5 stars

Spice level: 🌶🌶🌶 /5

Tropes: grumpy/sunshine; enemies to friends to lovers; forced proximity

CW/TW: financial insecurity, death of parents (historical), toxic & manipulative parents, abandonment, mention of suicide (mention, side character, historical), murder (hist.), blood, knives, blood, death of parents (hist.)

This is probably one of my top favorite books from this year. I absolutely loved this spicy paranormal romance so much. Reggie and Ben had the best chemistry and I loved getting to experience how they fell for each other. This book was giving me cozy mystery, spicy witchy romance, paranormal goodness. Needless to say, it was everything I could have ever wanted.

If you can't tell from the cover, this book is essentially a Reylo fanfiction. I can't say that I'm part of that fandom or ship, but I definitely loved what I got from this book. (To clarify, I really enjoy SW, but it's not one of my main fandoms. I'm definitely knee-deep into the Reylo fandom. I'll leave that to my best friends.) If you're not familiar with Ali Hazelwood and her debut, Love on the Brain, first - wow! Welcome! You should definitely read it! Second, I saw that she raved about this book soon after starting and I have to agree with her! Masterful and everything you could want. 10/10. Love on the Brain is also a Reylo fanfiction that has been published. So I guess maybe I should just be pursuing witchy Reylo fic now? I'd honestly love more.

Anyway!

This book was exactly what I needed in my life. I'm absolutely desperate to get book 2. I need that couple's story so badly. Again, I'm desperate. I won't spoil who it is because I think it's worth reading AAAALL of Go Hex Yourself, getting acquainted with the characters, and being just as excited as I am when you read the synopsis to book 2. This is your push to read GHY. I mean, you can continue reading this review, but I insist! *nudge nudge* Get on it, little chickadee!

I loved Reggie and Ben so freaking much. One of the best parts of this book (for me) was that we got chapters from both of the leads' perspectives. I noticed that many people didn't enjoy Ben's POV, but those chapters made me absolutely feral. He's such a softy and I love his constant angst and devotion to Reggie -- even during the moments where he had no recollection or awareness of it.

Reggie was such a lovely, spunky MC. I usually have a love/hate relationship with characters that are described as "spunky," but I adored how her character was developed. She was strong, and she was a little obtuse, but she worked so hard and she does everything she can with the cards she was dealt. Her backstory is riveting and I loved seeing how she grew from her circumstances. Her parents can choke and Reggie deserves so much better. (Reasonably, yes, these are fictional characters with potential mental health issues, but just from their actions alone -- they should know better! They refuse to change and that's just horrible!)

I really appreciated how the conflict was handled throughout. There were multiple issues that cropped up throughout the story and there were facets of the plot that tied into the overarching conflict, but they weren't overdone. Sometimes it feels like some romance novels just have too many points of conflict that affect the characters. It gets overwhelming and strange and it usually messes with the flow and pacing of the novel. I'm happy to say that this book didn't do this AT ALL.

I also adored the world-building incorporated throughout. I'm obsessed with the magic system and the concepts discussed throughout. Magic users are descended from the children of the gods? That genuinely sounds plausible! Tell me more! I can't wait to learn more in book 2. Gimme gimme.

This book just ticked every box for me and I cannot wait to read more witchy romance from Jessica Clare. I'm unfortunately not her target reader for her other books (cowboys do not do it for me and neither do billionaires typically). I definitely need more witchy romance recs so please comment below if you have any titles you recommend.

Happy reading, friends!

Olivia
Liv the Book Nerd
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{Q&A/Review With Bailey} Jorie & the Magic Stones by A.H. Richardson [#BaileyTheBookNerd]

Page Count: 268

Published on: December 26, 2014

Published by: Serano Press

Genre(s): Fantasy, Children's, Middle Grade

Source: Print: Paperback - from publisher

Age Rating: Middle Grade

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Book Depository: {click here}

Author Website: {click here}

Bailey's Rating: 3.5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

When Marjorie went to live with her frosty maiden aunt, she couldn't imagine the adventures she would have with dragons - good and bad - and all the strange creatures that live in a mysterious land beneath the Tarn. The spunky 9-year-old redhead forges an unlikely friendship with an insecure young boy named Rufus who lives with his crusty grandfather next door. When Jorie - for that is what she prefers to be called - finds a dusty ancient book about dragons, she learns four strange words that will send the two of them into a mysterious land beneath the Tarn, riddled with enchantment and danger. Hungry for adventure, the children take the plunge, quite literally, and find themselves in the magic land of Cabrynthius. Upon meeting the good dragon, the Great Grootmonya, Jorie and Rufus are given a quest to find the three Stones of Maalog - stones of enormous power - and return them to their rightful place in Cabrynthius. Their mission is neither easy nor safe, and is peppered with perils in the form of the evil black half-dragon who rules the shadowy side of the land. They have to deal with a wicked and greedy professor, the tragic daughter of the bad dragon, caves of fire, rocky mountainous climbs, and a deadly poisonous butterfly. Jorie must rely on her wits and courage to win the day? Can she do this? Can she find all three Stones? Can she save Rufus when disaster befalls him? Can she emerge victorious? She and Rufus have some hair-raising challenges, in which they learn valuable lessons about loyalty, bravery, and friendship.

~~~

Hey, guys!

      I was asked by Sereno Press and A.H. Richardson to review Richardson's middle-grade novel Jorie and the Magic Stones, but I was sure that Bailey would enjoy it much more than I would, so I asked them if they cared if Bailey did a guest review over it and they loved the idea! So thus began the process of Bailey's reading journey for this book. When she got the book, she was so excited! She was so tickled that the package was addressed to her. 

(follow me on Instagram for cool updates on

book mail, bookish parcels, and bookish shenanigans)

      Over the next couple weeks, we Bee had some issues with homework, got sick, and misbehaved like nine-year-olds do and didn't get a chance to read. As the school year soon came to a close, both of our lives were consumed by school (and work for me), so the review never got written even after she finished the book. We finally got to discuss the book and write this little review, so I hope you guys are encouraged to check the book out. Bailey enjoyed reading it and I loved hearing her thoughts about it! 

~~~

Bee's Q&A Review:

Q: What is Jorie and the Magic Stones about? Can you summarize it a bit?

A:  Um. It’s about Jorie who faces an evil dragon, some greedy creatures, caves of fire, rocky mountain trails, and a poisonous butterfly. She discovers her courage, how long she can stay, and she tests her friendship a couple times.

Q: What would you rate this book? Why?

A: probably 3.5 stars. Because I have a hard time remembering everything in the book very well.

Q: What did you like about this book? What did you dislike?

A:  I liked that they make Jorie’s name shorter because her full name is Marjorie, I liked the dragons, I liked the magic. I like any book with magic in it. I magic…I like fairies—they’re apart of magic.

Q: Are you going to continue with the series?

A:  No duh….I’m just going to say “no duh” every time because I’M CURIOUS!

(Bailey is going to be sent book 2 to review and she is so excited!)

Q: Do you have anything else to say to the people reading this?

A: I loved it and I hope other people like it too.

Other Reviews By Bailey: {click here}

Enjoy!

Happy reading!

Olivia & Bailey

~LivTheBookNerd~

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{LivTheBookClub BOTM #3} Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi

Page Count: 416

Published on: August 30, 2016

Published by: Dutton Books For Young Readers

Genre(s): Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fairy Tales, High Fantasy, Adventure

Source: Hardback

Age Rating: PG

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Twitter: @TaherehMafi

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

      The bestselling author of the Shatter Me series takes readers beyond the limits of their imagination in this captivating new middle-grade adventure where color is currency, adventure is inevitable, and friendship is found in the most unexpected places.

      There are only three things that matter to twelve-year-old Alice Alexis Queensmeadow: Mother, who wouldn't miss her; magic and color, which seem to elude her; and Father, who always loved her. The day Father disappears from Ferenwood he takes nothing but a ruler with him. But it's been almost three years since then, and Alice is determined to find him. She loves her father even more than she loves adventure, and she's about to embark on one to find the other.

      But bringing Father home is no small matter. In order to find him she'll have to travel through the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, where down can be up, paper is alive, and left can be both right and very, very wrong. Her only companion is a boy named Oliver whose own magical ability is based in lies and deceit--and with a liar by her side in a land where nothing is as it seems, it will take all of Alice's wits (and every limb she's got) to find Father and return home to Ferenwood in one piece. On her quest to find Father, Alice must first find herself--and hold fast to the magic of love in the face of loss.

~~~

Hey, guys!

      In September the LivTheBookClub read Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi, a whimsical and magical middle-grade novel that follows young Alice Alexis Queensmeadow who goes on a quest to find her father.

      To be honest, I kind of went into this book blindly. I didn't read any reviews, I didn't watch any of the promotional videos that were posted, and I definitely waited to watch Whitney from WhittyNovel's review and ramblings on YouTube. If you haven't read the book, or if you don't really care to get a hint into what this book entails then read on! If you don't want to go into this book with much of a synopsis, then do not read on! Come back when you're done reading! 5/5 stars! Read Furthermore!!!!

      I have been anticipating this book for over a year and I've been so excited to get another taste of Tahereh's writing. I fell in love with Tahereh Mafi's writing when I first read Shatter Me, her first book in her Shatter Me series, in December of 2014. The Shatter Me series has a special place in my heart. It was one of the first series that I reviewed on my blog, and even after reading the books almost 2 years ago, I still remember the story line very very clearly. I just love these books so much, and when I found out that she had been working on a middle-grade fantasy stand-alone, I was squealing with excitement. 

      Julia will testify to this, but I bought Furthermore on the first day of the month (the day after the release day) from Target. She wanted me to have my mom or someone record me finding the book, but in the end, it wasn't that eventful. Squealing, stroking the spine, geeking out over the cover. Nothing major. I was so so so excited to get my hands on my own physical copy. I started Furthermore as soon as I finished City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare, and then I had to stop for school reading, review copies, and because I really didn't want to read it as quickly as I would have if I had just sat down and ignored my school work. Anyway, here is what I actually thought about the book.

     First of all, I really loved the whole aesthetic of this book. It was so colorful and beautifully written. Tahereh's writing gave me such a lovely feeling inside and it gave me a light and whimsical vibe. When reading Shatter Me, it's very dark, ominous, and suspenseful...but when reading Furthermore, it's very suspenseful and mysterious, but it's still really light-hearted and adorable. I really liked her narration style. She would have little author interjections that always managed to make me laugh because she was basically breaking the fourth wall of writing. It reminded me of The Series of Unfortunate Events (that I wasn't impressed with, overall) and The Secret Series (LOVE!!!). 

      Let's talk about the magic system. Okay, Ferenwood and Furthermore are so mysterious and whimsical. If you don't have an open mind to nonsense, magic, and tomfoolery then you'll probably have a hard time wrapping your mind around the magic in this book. As a college student that is expected to have a very serious frame of mind when it comes to life, it was such a relief to have a book that was so beautiful and magical and strange. I'm not sure if I'm just rambling or not, but this book was just a huge breath of fresh air when it comes to taking a break from reading dull and dense textbooks. I think I may read Furthermore again when I have more time to sink down into the world. Reading something for fun has been making me feel guilty for not utilizing my time for school work, so I really want to experience the beauty of this book for what it is and not have to worry if I have a random math assignment due the next day. 

      I would love to have another book set in Ferenwood or Furthermore. I really want to explore the whimsy of Furthermore more and I would love to read more about the magical talents of the people of Ferenwood. 


      Okay, Alice Alexis Queensmeadow. Let's talk about Alice! I loved how sassy, brave, colorful, and real Alice is. I loved her attitude throughout this book. I saw my sister Reagan in her when she would sass Oliver and I saw my sensitive little Beetle when she would have her little emotional moments. She had such a great character arc at the end of the end of the book. She accepted herself and she embraced her amazing talent. I loved how impulsive she was. I mean, kids think they're invincible. I thought this added a very relatable aspect to the book. 

      Oliver...I'm not sure how I feel about him yet. He's a little butthead during most of the book, but his personality changed a lot towards the end. I think the events that occurred humbled him quite a bit, and I really liked that. It just felt a bit rushed to me...But I binge read the last chunk of the book, so that might be the reason....

     The one problem that I had with the book was that it was really rushed towards the end and it kind of wrapped up too perfectly. I wanted a great ending that worked the problems out, but this ending was just really rushed and I felt like there could have been so much more added to the book. 

Random Things I Loved:

~The diversity of the characters! Not only did the characters have actual colored skin (purple, pink, sunset), but there were so many diverse characters in Furthermore too! 

~Characters get hurt/disabled during the book. This rarely happens, and it's so interesting to have a character like Alice to go through something like this. I kind of wish that I hadn't been fixed. 

~"If a girl is afraid she doesn't have to be nice" This is so important! Need I explain? 

~Alice went pee! I've never read a book where the character goes pee! Hallelujah! It's so normal to go to the bathroom. Why is it ignored in books? I mean it's redundant if they just keep going pee, but sometimes it should be mentioned. 

      Overall, I really loved this book. I definitely want a sequel. I need more of Tahereh's writing. She is such a beautiful human being and I love her social media updates. I not only love her writing, but I think she is a lovely person in real life too. Someday I hope to meet her, but until then I will read everything that she releases. 

Books Mentioned:

• Shatter Me review {click}
• Unravel Me review {click}
• Ignite Me review {click}
• Unite Me review {click}
• City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare {review coming soon!}

Happy reading!

Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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