'Sweet & Bitter Magic' by Adrienne Tooley follows the story of Tamsin, a powerful witch banished from her coven for using dark magic to save her twin sister. Cursed with the inability to love, she trades for others' love to feel something. When a plague hits the world due to dark magic, Tamsin teams up with Wren, a magical source, to try and save the world. Their journey together is filled with elements of family, grief, and love magic, with a touch of humor, romance, and a fairy tale-like atmosphere.

Characters:

The characters are complex, relatable, and flawed, engaging in emotional growth and forming a believable bond throughout their journey.

Writing/Prose:

The prose combines fairy-tale qualities with introspective depth, creating an emotionally rich atmosphere that some readers find enchanting.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot is an engaging mix of fantasy adventure and emotional depth, highlighting the journey of two main characters working to overcome personal and external challenges.

Setting:

The setting combines fairy tale elements with deep emotional themes, creating a rich and immersive world.

Pacing:

The pacing varies, with mixed reviews on its slow build in certain areas, yet some readers find it enhances emotional depth.

The salt was dull on Tamsin’s tongue. The mild spice had meant something to her once, had made a difference when sprinkled with a deft hand on her boiled eggs or her smoked fish. Now it tasted like ev...

Notes:

The book features a banished witch named Tamsin and a magical source named Wren.

Tamsin has a dark backstory involving her twin sister and a curse that prevents her from feeling love.

The plot revolves around stopping a plague caused by dark magic.

The romance between Tamsin and Wren develops from a slow burn enemies-to-friends dynamic.

The book explores themes of personal growth, self-doubt, and mental health issues like depression and anxiety.

The setting is described as a magical world that reinterprets common fairy tale elements.

Readers find the characterization and emotional depth of the characters particularly engaging.

The writing style is noted for being immersive and resembling a fairy tale, creating a captivating atmosphere.

The story includes elements of friendship, complicated family dynamics, and the burdens of responsibilities.

Despite its fantastical elements, it tackles relatable issues like grief, identity, and finding one’s place in the world.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings may include themes of mental illness, family loss, emotional turmoil, and depictions of dark magic.

Has Romance?

The book features a high level of romance, characterized by emotional depth and connection between the main characters.

implied steam level

From The Publisher:

"Evokes a mix of European fairy tales and medieval society . . . a treat for readers who loved the queer fantasy of Melissa Bashardoust." - BookPage

In this charming debut fantasy, a witch cursed to never love meets a girl hiding her own dangerous magic, and the two strike a dangerous bargain to save their queendom.

Tamsin is the most powerful witch of her generation. But after committing the worst magical sin, she's exiled by the ruling Coven and cursed with the inability to love. The only way she can get those feelings back-even for just a little while-is to steal love from others.

Wren is a source-a rare kind of person who is made of magic, despite being unable to use it herself. Sources are required to train with the Coven as soon as they discover their abilities, but Wren-the only caretaker to her ailing father-has spent her life hiding her secret.

When a magical plague ravages the queendom, Wren's father falls victim. To save him, Wren proposes a bargain: if Tamsin will help her catch the dark witch responsible for creating the plague, then Wren will give Tamsin her love for her father.

Of course, love bargains are a tricky thing, and these two have a long, perilous journey ahead of them-that is, if they don't kill each other first.

"[A] rich, nuanced fantasy world . . . Tooley's debut skillfully and subtly emphasizes the consequences of prioritizing power above people and the environment . . . thoughtful, ambitious, and unexpected." - Kirkus Reviews

"A slow burn, enemies-to-lovers romance." - School Library Journal

Ratings (6)

Loved It (1)
Liked It (1)
It Was OK (3)
Did Not Like (1)

Reader Stats (31):

Read It (7)
Want To Read (21)
Did Not Finish (1)
Not Interested (2)

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Sweet & Bitter Magic

Adrienne Tooley