At times, I'd even felt like that one memory was the only thing that was keeping me breathing. And there were a million times after I left Saoirse that I wished to God it never happened.” This setting is so immersive and moody—a remote magical island, with a mysterious history and a cold case to boot. The residents who rely on the large orchard that draws tourists, also run apothecaries and tea shops. It’s creepy and beautiful at the same time. There were tales that only the island knew. Ones that had never been told. I knew, because I was one of them.”

Spells for Forgetting: the spellbinding magical mystery full

There were times when I wondered if I'd dreamed it. If he'd ever been real or if he was a fragmented piece of my imagination, buried deep and painful within me like a splinter under the skin.” Wow! If you are looking for the perfect Fall, atmospheric, suspenseful and heart wrenching read - this is it!! On the morning of August's return, Emery wakes to find all the trees on the island changed to fall color overnight. She knows this to be a sign that something is coming... On the positive side, the atmosphere of the book is great, excellent even. Adrienne Young's lush prose painted a serious, slightly eerie landscape of the island, which I highly appreciated. It's a shame that the rest appears very lukewarm to me. The story takes place on Saoirse Island, which is a magical version of one of the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest. Emory hasn't seen her high school boyfriend in 15 years, and he reappears on Saoirse to bury his mother on the island. Emory's best friend was murdered in high school, and that unsolved crime haunts the island and its inhabitants. When the ex shows up, Emory finally starts trying to solve her best friend's murder. (If you think this sounds like Veronica Mars, you would be right - but with a 15-year-old cold case. The best friend's name is even Lily!)

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From New York Times bestselling author Adrienne Young comes a deeply atmospheric story about ancestral magic, an unsolved murder, and a second chance at true love.

Spells for Forgetting October 2022 BOTM Add-on Discussion - Spells for Forgetting

i couldnt put this down. this story is everything i love about books. ive always been a fan of AYs storytelling - she has such a unique and captivating way at creating immersive worlds and relatable characters. but this, her first adult book, is a total game changer.the love story was pitiful but also kinda magical? i dont mind the timeline cause romance wasnt the only focus of the story, but i wished Emery & August had teamed up sooner to uncover the murder. the beginning felt dragged, and i was annoyed at Emery for stringing her boyfriend along when she was still hung up on August. even though the prose was breathtaking, the book still felt very YA. Oh my…what in the world…. Spells for Forgetting was exactly the story that a book craving soul like me wanted to get lost in after all the turmoil and struggles of the daily grinds of life and I have half a mind to binge read all her published works.

Spells for Forgetting – Adrienne Young

Spells for Forgetting is a multiple perspective novel exploring both Emery and August’s POVs, as well as sporadic chapters that give glimpses into the thoughts and memories of the influential townsfolk that control the island. Whilst constantly shifting viewpoints can sometimes take readers away from the central characters of a book, here it only adds to the secretive, mysterious undertone of the story. Emery and August are the heart and soul of the novel, but there’s a real sense that they’re never alone. The island is always watching them. Whether it’s the island itself, which is ruled by the seasons, or the meddling locals, who’ll do anything to protect the secrets of the past, there isn’t anyone on Saoirse who thinks it’s a good idea for Emery and August to reunite. Except, perhaps, Emery and August themselves. For the most part I thought this novel was great. However I was surprised that the magic wasn't a bigger part of the story. Like if I could do magic I would do that shit all the time. Fold the paper several times until it's very small. As you do this, empty your mind and ask your Higher Self to let go of that person, releasing them forever. I'd been eighteen years old. I'd known nothing about suffering or responsibility or loss, but somehow, I'd known this soul-deep king of love that I now wondered if most people never found. It cut open a vein in me that never stopped flowing.”I loved everything about this novel. The characters, the world building and the plot. The characters are many and each of them added depth and breadth to the narrative. The story is told from multiple points of view. As such the chapters are titled after each character’s view. These multiple points of view was just one of the things that I enjoyed about this novel. It really gave insight as to the mindset of the characters and the goings on in Saoirse. pro tip: the audiobook is the way to go!!! has a full cast and great narrators. really helped bring the island and vibes to life. If you find yourself thinking about him (or her) long after you broke up, it’s probably time to move on. Or if you’ve become attached to someone in a way that is not healthy for you or them, it’s best for everyone involved that you can finally set them free. Start your new love life casting this spell to get over him, and forget your ex once and for all. There is a second chance romance, as well as interesting family and friend dramas. This book also has fantasy as one of its descriptions, but honestly, fantasy could have been left out and I would have still had the same feelings for the book. It’s great that the fantasy didn’t overpower the book, but it didn’t have as much essence as I have seen in other fantasy books. I could honestly see arguments for why I’m wrong, but this was more of a feeling for me. About the plot, I have realized that small-town mysteries like this are probably not for me (see The Lighthouse Witches). However, I still do think that the plot in this book is very predictable, and almost follows a narrative structure that is repeated over and over again in this genre.

Forgetful Spells: How To Use Them To Cope With Trauma Forgetful Spells: How To Use Them To Cope With Trauma

I want to thank the publisher "Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine" for the wonderful opportunity to read this novel and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone! Read by Emily Rankin, Dan Bittner, Mark Deakins, Kimberly Farr, Ari Fliakos, Dawn Harvey, Carrington MacDuffie, Kirsten Potter and Oliver Wyman Wanting a fresh start, August and his mother, Eloise quietly and abruptly leave Saoirse leaving behind them scars from bad memories and the disdain from their former townsfolk. August told no one of their departure and no one cared except for Emery — the girl that held August’s heart. I’ve lived enough years now to know that there were some ghosts that haunted you forever. Saoirse had secrets, yes. But so did we.” The magical realism captured in the story aids in subtly highlighting the strange beliefs the families hold dear and enhances the flavor of the moodiness that the author has wonderfully created. One can feel the autumn winds and the coming winter in the author's beautiful writing. Told thru multiple points of view interweaving the past and the present with romance, deception, secrets, and lies, Spells For Forgetting has everything and more. Emery and August were such wonderful characters, both unable to move on and forget the love they shared, learning to trust each other the second time, and with the kind of past that hangs over their heads, it was particularly beguiling in intensity. With Emery determined to find the truth of their friend Lily’s death, the layers in the story untangle in bits and pieces luring the reader to read a little more to get to that unexpected ending.The plot is complex and encompasses a whodunnit mystery with numerous twists. But it’s not just a mystery/thriller, Spells also has some elements of fantasy — spells and potions, and a bit of romance. There is a big and long reveal, but it is slowly exposed layer by layer through each of the players in the novel. A reveal that is sure to surprise. There were tales that only the island knew. Ones that had never been told. I knew, because I was one of them.’ From the New York Times bestselling author comes an evocative, compelling novel of ancestral magic, an unsolved murder, and a second chance at true love.