Romance Recs

Witchy Romance

• Jordan & Devonnie • Season 2 • Episode 4

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Do you enjoy a little magic with your romance? We've got a list of recs featuring magical FMCs (female main characters). 

  • Contemporary Witches
  • Folklore Magic
  • Witches Fighting the Patriarchy
  • Magical Realism
  • Romcom Witches
  • Dark Magic
  • Feel Good Magic
  • Curse Breakers
  • Blood Magic
  • Mortal Enemies

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Devonnie:

Welcome to romance Recs where book besties explore the world of romance novels and encourage you to expand your TBR. Join us as we dive into the hottest releases and hidden gems of the genre. You can find us on IG and Tik TOK and discord. At romance Recs pod, just give us a little search. Give us a little, you know, google and you'll find us Hey guys, this is dev. I'm sure you guessed that. Hi You know what? I feel like it's been so long. Sorry. Just I just want to say hi to you guys I feel like I haven't

Jordan:

This every other week thing,

Devonnie:

Yeah, it feels so much longer. Yeah but hi Yeah, this is dev. I'm, not gonna lie to you. I don't even know where to start telling you what books i'm reading right now I Couldn't begin. Let me tell you something. I'm in five books right now, and that's what I'm gonna say

Jordan:

my

Devonnie:

But I'm yes, but I'm only listening. Well six, you know, why I'm tech it's tech. It's five Kindle five ebooks, but one audio book. Let's talk about the audio book cuz I know what that is I'm only listening to one it is on children of anarchy and anguish or anguish and anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi, which is the third book in the Orisha series that she has. And it's the third and final book. I'm about 70 percent in. I'm enjoying it so far. I'm enjoying it so far.

Jordan:

Oh.

Devonnie:

I know. I'm shocked. Let me tell you, I, when the first two books were like, Oh my gosh. And to be fair, the message in this set in this third book is still good, but it feels like I'm reading a different series because the villain, yeah, the villain in this book was not really played up in the first or second book. I can't even remember them being like focused on. And so it just feels very different. However, with that being said, like the message, what I'm pulling from the book as being part of a diaspora that has been misplaced. It is, it's very heartwarming to see an author tackle that experience with fantasy and magic. That's been nice. However, I wish, yeah, we'll see how it ends.

Jordan:

look at we're getting reviews in the intro. This is like we're you're

Devonnie:

just, I'm going rogue guys. I just wanted to talk about it. But yeah, and that's all because like I said, I'm reading too many books at once. And yeah, so that's the one i'm listening to on Libby.

Jordan:

Well, hi, I'm Jordan. Nice to be here. I will highlight a few that I'm reading because I think devs tendencies have rubbed off on me. So I am reading on KU, Kindle Unlimited, Priceless by Devon Sinclair. I am on a Devon Sinclair kick right now. Love her Omega verse stuff. I am listening. I started listening to Bewitched by Laura. SSEs. Oh, sorry. Laura. Thea. Thea.

Devonnie:

Read that.

Jordan:

One of my favorite. Most trusted bookstagram people recommended it. And the way she talked about it, I'm like, Oh, I'm going to love it. Like the way she talks about all my favorites. I'm excited to see where it goes. It's not what I was expecting.

Devonnie:

Okay, we'll take it.

Jordan:

I'm still early on. I just received today an arc for A Dark and Secret Magic by Wallis Kinney. That should be out October 7th, 2024. So I'm excited for that one. And I'm re listening to From Blood and Ash because I am excited to re listen to it because I just finished the last book. In the prequel series that came out a few months ago.

Devonnie:

Oh, okay.

Jordan:

I loved that series because that series actually tells you the background of all these characters. I can't really get into it. It's not the background of them, but it's like the setup for the world and the gods. So you follow the primals and the gods and not like from blood and ashes, like the world and the results of the prequel. So you learn a lot of. Big things at the end of that last book and I read it and I was like, Shit, I gotta listen to this

Devonnie:

gotta go listen

Jordan:

I gotta I have to So i'm hyped up again from blood and ash Jennifer L. Armintrout and that's our intro look it only took five minutes

Devonnie:

Love

Jordan:

what we read

Devonnie:

Yes. It really should have taken like 30 seconds each cause we only should be reading one book.

Jordan:

and there's only two of us today because christina's still in the middle of yet another move.

Devonnie:

Yeah.

Jordan:

Love you, christina. I can't wait to see you on here again. You So let's just get right, okay, first of all, before we do our quotes, we, this is a witchy episode. We're doing a witchy episode. We haven't even said that yet. We're almost six minutes in. It's all about the witches today. Witch

Devonnie:

Love me a good witch.

Jordan:

need love too.

Devonnie:

I just want to show you that I'm on theme today

Jordan:

Oh, witch please!

Devonnie:

Cup.

Jordan:

I love it.

Devonnie:

I did want to stay on

Jordan:

I have a gin and tonic and a wine glass, so I am not on brand, but I should have made some tea or something.

Devonnie:

I had decaf English breakfast, so I think your drink wins.

Jordan:

I think so too. I'm going to start out, I'm just going to go for it with the quotes. Mine is from a book we both loved and we will be talking about later. Mine is from Heartless Hunter by Kristen sicarelli?

Devonnie:

yeah.

Jordan:

Sicarelli. Kristen Sicarelli. Gideon was her perfect rival. A deadly enemy to outwit. Without him, Rune could only be half of her full potential. It was why, deep down, she wanted him to come for her. She ached for that challenge of him. She needed to finish what lay unfinished between them.

Devonnie:

I love that.

Jordan:

She needed the challen like, this wasn't even talking about their rela

Devonnie:

No, yeah, this is

Jordan:

Their relationship!

Devonnie:

right?

Jordan:

But

Devonnie:

Yeah,

Jordan:

enemies were still enemies. Or the, nevermind, that's a spoiler. Yeah, it just, she knew even then she needed that

Devonnie:

Right. What she was basically saying was that everybody around her was trash and she needed someone to step up to her level to really test her, you know, so that she could really feel alive and no one was delivering. And so Gideon was going to do that

Jordan:

Well, you would be all for being chased. The

Devonnie:

Yeah, of course.

Jordan:

wouldn't you?

Devonnie:

Absolutely. Immediately. Yes.

Jordan:

Literally, figuratively,

Devonnie:

Yes. Love it all.

Jordan:

Oh, I'm sorry. What podcast are you on?

Devonnie:

Natural out of my business as if the business hasn't been discussed in previous episodes. Now y'all got to go back to find which ones. Let me know if you do. Yeah, moving on to my quote is actually from the witch collector series. It's from the first book of the witch collector. By Sharisa Weeks and book four, I think it's trying to come out. There's, there are plans, there's holdups, but right now all three books are available. I'm pretty sure you can listen to them immediately if you have Libby. And I guess if your library supplies it, but also I think the books are in Kindle Unlimited. So check there as well if you want to read all of the books that are out and you don't you know, I want to wait too long. Okay. Here's the quote. What are you scared of? He asks his voice so soft What is it you fear when it comes to me? I look up at him and a thousand answers chase through my mind the truth boils down to one thing though a truth I can't hold inside anymore that I will never let myself know what it is to be yours That I will deny myself this, deny myself you out of fear. I pat his chest before continuing because I am so scared of losing anyone else. That was like a very tender moment. I'm not going to tell y'all what happens immediately after this, but I'm sure you can guess. Yeah. But I, yeah, I really love that quote from, oh, it's, I

Jordan:

What is this mood tonight?

Devonnie:

cannot confirm nor deny the tenderness of what happens after this scene because yeah. But yeah that's one of my recs for today and so I wanted to share that quote.

Jordan:

Thanks. It was really cute. It was very, okay, well, I'm just going to get into it. Cause there's one book I'm really, okay. I'm excited about a lot of these, but there's one in particular that I read recently

Devonnie:

Let's hear it.

Jordan:

that I still am thinking about it. It gave me chills. It, I was listening, I listened to this on audible, not audible. Excuse me. I listened to an audio version of this. I was given a version of it through NetGalley. It's The Last Witch in Edinburgh by Marielle Thompson. And It was labeled as romance, and it is romance. There is romance. But I was just blown away by this book. And I don't think it was quite what I expected, but it's what I needed. And I saw that someone else wrote that too in their comment. And I'm like, that's exactly how I feel. On Goodreads, that was their it's not what they expected, but it's what they needed. In an alternate 1824 Edinburgh, Women throughout the city fear that any wrong move may result in accusations of witchcraft from using their left hand for anything to denying male advancement in an offensive way. Nellie Duncan, she's beautiful, unwed, she keeps to herself for fear and because she's trying to take care of her younger brother, Cause her mother passed away and her dad is too busy out drinking. So she's just trying to keep to herself, right? She's trying to survive in this world, in this town where everyone is after women for being witches. She keeps to herself until she encounters the Rey women's apothecary, where she meets Jean and other women who help her discover true magic. They call that The Kaelic, is what they call their magic, Kaelic. A sense of self and community. An evil is sweeping the town, and it isn't the first time in its history that this has happened. When Nellie finds herself alone and afraid, she runs from Edinburgh, intending to never return. And for the next two centuries, She runs and hides from the Calyx enemy. He has hunted witches for years through the patriarchy for their service to the goddess. When she encounters him again and the stakes are even higher for her personally, will she run or will she stand and fight? So the magic in this comes straight from Scottish folklore. And basically in this, any woman could become a witch. That is not common knowledge though. Okay. People don't just know that you have to be taught the ways of the Kaelic and everyone has a very unique, it's almost like a gift, not necessarily a magic, but you can learn potions and spells, but everyone has a different kind of, it's almost like a calling, right? And it does give them long lives. So she was, you know, this story spans two centuries

Devonnie:

Oh,

Jordan:

and it is so beautifully written. This is a queer romance

Devonnie:

Ooh, a little sapphic action.

Jordan:

yeah, so being, for having it start in 1824, a lot of her discovering. The Kalec is her discovering who she really is because being Kalec means being true to yourself. You do not receive your magic or become a witch until you are true to yourself.

Devonnie:

love that.

Jordan:

So whether that's like for her, part of that is admitting to who she's attracted to and who she's interested in and her own confidence and what she's capable of. And it's so moving because the big enemy is the patriarchy in this book. That is how the enemy of the Calic fights witches, is through patriarchy specifically. They motivate, this enemy is able to instill anger into men, and they use that to bolster Because the enemy knows only females can be Kalec, But it's not common knowledge. So he uses this widespread fear to keep women down, to fear their own bodies, to do To fear their own voices, to and it is to read it in this way. It was like a religious experience for me. It was, I was listening to it and I just would find myself stopping in the middle of what I was doing and just really be introspective. I would have to pause sometimes and really think about it. I'd be like, Whoa, that hit really hard. Or this instance really reminded me of something. So it's, this book is full of emotional storytelling and it's hauntingly beautiful. And. It's used to help, give women a voice and stand against the patriarchy. And I just, I left this book feeling empowered and reflective because it ends in our present day. So it's still very much. enemy that they were trying to face,

Devonnie:

yeah.

Jordan:

And the romance is very moving. The romance is very introspective and I would say it's very meaningful and intentional and it's just, it's beautiful.

Devonnie:

I love that.

Jordan:

Love this book.

Devonnie:

Is it already out?

Jordan:

Yes, it's already out. The Last Witch in Edinburgh. Go read it.

Devonnie:

Love that.

Jordan:

So good.

Devonnie:

Yes. Oh, wait. I have a question. Did you like the narrators?

Jordan:

I love the narrators, please listen to it. So it's only one because it's one POV not just because, but it's one POV and it's Scottish.

Devonnie:

Love that.

Jordan:

it's, yeah, it's

Devonnie:

That'll get me. That'll do Do it for me.

Jordan:

Yeah. Listen to it if you can.

Devonnie:

Okay. I am going to start with, I guess something completely opposite on that spectrum. Also about. Some witches, very much lighthearted, very lighthearted, very funny. So no introspection necessary for listening to this

Jordan:

Oh, good.

Devonnie:

This is Hot Hex Boyfriend by Carly Bloom, and this book actually just came out about a week ago. I think it's live now. I did receive a audio copy from Netgalley. I can't remember if this was like readily available, listen now, or if it was something I like had to request and wait for.

Jordan:

Shout out to NetGalley for not sponsoring this episode, but maybe you should.

Devonnie:

Netgalley, if you're listening. Libby, if you're listening.

Jordan:

do some episodes for you.

Devonnie:

Babe we use these services, K. U.

Jordan:

you. Please.

Devonnie:

Okay, so hot hex boyfriend is about Delia Merriweather and her family of chaos like and I mean that in the most literal sense Delia doesn't believe in witches But the rest of her family most definitely do and they also believe that they are witches and that they're like a coven who Has lost their magic And because of a silly little birthmark on delia's tush her coven family Lacks magic believe that she is like the what they call a blue witch She is the witch who's going to break the curse on their coven and finally release their suppressed magic. And so every year They have this little ritual To Basically call forth Delia's magic as a blue witch and every year it fails But Delia is so sweet. Yeah. No, it fails every year

Jordan:

Because of her booty mark. Awww.

Devonnie:

yeah, so they do this every year and like her grandma is like really into it they run like a little shop where they have crystals and twigs that are supposed to be wands and brooms and teas and herbs. Like it is the most chaotic fun I have listened to in so long. And she has two, two, two of her aunts are like they're twins, I think. And so you have like twin witches who are like doing that. Oh, and also Delia's mother also does not believe in these witches. So it's Delia and her mom against the rest of the family. But when I, it is, Okay, maybe a little introspection because one thing I did learn about this story, Delia and her mom don't believe that their family are witches, right? The rest of the family does believe this information and actively acts on it, vocalizes it out to the public that they believe this information,

Jordan:

Okay, wait. Can I ask a quick question? Sorry. When you're ready, I have a question.

Devonnie:

No, what was the

Jordan:

they're, Why do they think they're witches, then? If they've never had magic. Why?

Devonnie:

so grandma, cause you know, talk to your grandparents, they are your librarians, right? They are the time keepers in your

Jordan:

Oh, yeah.

Devonnie:

Grandma was told. Through her lineage through her mother and her mother and her mother and whatever that they are witches We have not

Jordan:

be

Devonnie:

it's been passed down Grandma

Jordan:

thank you. I

Devonnie:

a lick of marriage a lick of magic. Yeah, but grandma telling her kids we're witches So anyway, I love that you have these opposing beliefs, but they love each other so hard. This book is so reminiscent of practical magic. So if you love practical magic, it is, I could taste practical magic on this. Sabrina, the teenage witch, it just give, it gave me. Such a mix of some of my favorite like coming of age teen stories, but they're adults We are just accepting who you are and just loving your family like the love this family shares Even with their opposing beliefs was so hilarious. The narrator did such a phenomenal job But there is also a male love interest, right? So here's where this the plot actually goes again I just want to reiterate Delia does not believe her family is a coven of Witches who are just waiting for their magic to

Jordan:

Coven, can you

Devonnie:

Yeah, Coven Merriweather at that. And, oh my gosh, I left out the best part. Y'all, they're in the South. So they talk like this. Delia talks like this and she says, yeah, honey. And they got Southern hospitality. A witch from the south? I ate it up. With an accent like that? I, okay. But I loved it. I just really loved it. Basically something happens and their next door neighbor dies. When the next door neighbor dies his nephew comes in to kinda deal with the estate, planning, and whatever. But also to keep an eye on the blue witch because Delia's family is in fact a coven of witches who have lost their magic plot twist granny was right, but yeah, so all these things happen. It's just snafu after snafu Delia is an interior designer. Her mom's a real estate agent. There's like hexes. It's like the entire town knows this information, but. But gaslight the Meriwether coven into believing that they aren't witches as well, and ostracizing them even though the entire town knows that they are.

Jordan:

Wait. So are there other witches around?

Devonnie:

The whole town is witch

Jordan:

Shut the fuck up!

Devonnie:

But, they gaslight

Jordan:

the opposite of

Devonnie:

Yes, they gaslight the family and treat them like shit. Because, a lot there's a reason why,

Jordan:

Yeah, don't tell me.

Devonnie:

Yeah, I'm not gonna tell you, but there's a reason. The plot is just, it is so funny. Honestly, there were times I was crack, I was crackin up. If you can, I would listen to it. I'm sure reading it would be the same, but listening to it, just really, I was crackin up, because I was like, what is happening here? Yeah, and there's a cat who turns into a human, and that's all I'ma say, listen for that, because it's given Sebastian, okay? But yeah there's cauldrons, aka a hot tub.

Jordan:

No. I just can't get over that the whole town knows. But then,

Devonnie:

But they don't say anything.

Jordan:

So they're calling themselves witches, but everyone knows that they don't have magic, and they're pretending like they do.

Devonnie:

yeah.

Jordan:

I'm sorry. Okay, you sold me. I saw this on NetGalley,

Devonnie:

one more thing. Yes.

Jordan:

This could go either way, but this

Devonnie:

please. It's so cozy, but so funny. Spice is very low. I think there's two scenes of spice and it's like nice, but you know, it's not a super spicy book,

Jordan:

like a cracked door.

Devonnie:

No, it was very open. The door was wide open, baby. I'm just saying it didn't like, it wasn't like super explicit spice, you know,

Jordan:

Okay, I'm watching from the doorway.

Devonnie:

for

Jordan:

I'm just not on the bed with them. I'm not on the bed with them, but I'm in the doorway

Devonnie:

Yeah. And maybe you're also on the gym floor. I don't know. Anyway whenever they, I just want to mention that whenever they try to make this concoction to turn the powers every year that fails Delia calls it soup. So her grandma be slaving over this cauldron to make the potion that's supposed to unleash the Meriwether Coven's powers and Delia'll cause it. Oh, yeah, we're just making soup tonight. I just had grandma's soup! She makes it every year on my birthday!

Jordan:

my god,

Devonnie:

Anyway, y'all, I don't know if I Carly, girl, you sent me into a tizzy with hot hex boyfriend. So thank you for that. Yeah, that was a really good read. Or listen.

Jordan:

Oh, that's so good. I love it. My next Sorry, I'm still laughing because I'm just imagining this like social dynamic of the town and them It's this big game of chicken. I feel like

Devonnie:

Yeah,

Jordan:

It's what's the movie the truman show?

Devonnie:

Yeah.

Jordan:

It's almost like the truman show

Devonnie:

Because everybody's in on it.

Jordan:

yeah Okay. All right. The Cursed and the Broken by Chloe Hodge. This one I'm going to read the description from Goodreads only because of the The magic system in the world, I don't want to give too much away and I want to accurately portray it. Years ago, the dark queen was executed by witches. Her cultists hunted down like rats and forced into hiding their black magic buried and put to rest all was well in the world Or so we thought Katarni Witch and shepherd of her flock has always been different There's a darkness in her blood and a destiny beyond the border of her small village. So in this world different like There are different villages, and the covens are in different villages, and they don't intermix. Corruption is spreading, and the whispers of cultists stir through the woods once again. Betrothed to the heir of the Wolfblood Clan, She risks not only her life, but her heart. United, they must stand against the cultists or watch the kingdom of Hungary fall. Cursed by death. Death is an actual character in this. Also, she's visited by death. It's in the very first chapter. And controlled by fate. Fate is another character. Katarni is forced to meet her demons. or die by them. This is really interesting. Katarni has a different power than the rest of her coven. And so she's kind of been an outcast because of that, but she's super close to their mom and her younger sister. She becomes cursed by death at the beginning of this book every year on the same night, death stalks the village and comes through. So everyone is boarded up because he can't cross the thresholds. Her sister darts out when she hears their animals being hurt. And she just is Soft heart. And so Katarni goes after her and through that exchange, she's not taken, but she's, she is cursed by him and marked. She finds out that she's betrothed to the Wolf Blood Clan heir and so in this village, if. The witches have boys. They are with their, they stay with their father. There are no men in this village. The men have their own, they're in separate villages. So they will either go out and marry and stay with them, or they will liaise with men. But if they have sons, they go and live with their father

Devonnie:

Interesting.

Jordan:

the women, the girls stay in the village. It's really interesting dynamics and it is based in Hungary. And I don't really know. I the folklore of Hungary and how closely related this is, but it is fascinating and it makes sense for the time period and the location. The magic to me is interesting in the world. When I first started this book, I was blowing through it. I loved the tension between her and her betrothed, because she doesn't quite trust him, because he's from this other village that she's heard things about, but she's never really left her village much, so she doesn't know. There's also a mystery happening because of the dark magic in the, that's stalking the woods, and while it went really fast at the beginning of this, For some reason I got distracted by other stuff and I like at 80 percent stopped.

Devonnie:

Oh my gosh.

Jordan:

So I went back and had to finish it. So I feel like it got a little bit slower at 70, 75%. But the way it ends, I am, I really need to go to the next one. Like I really need to move on to the next one. There is a next one and I haven't read it yet. The Fated and the Damned. So I am really interested to see where this goes because she is toying with death. She is bartering with him. And fate is, it's just. It's, it got messy by the end. It wasn't messy. And then by the end you realized, Oh, this was messy the whole time. And we had no idea what was really happening. So I don't know. It's I like, I love the world. I love the new, take on different folklore and that death is involved, but at a bit of a distance. It's really fun.

Devonnie:

interesting. I do like when there's, when death is a character in books, cause it's always so interesting to see what the author's interpretation of death and like how they are in the story. Yeah. So that's interesting.

Jordan:

Yeah, it's really cool. And I really like. I like the main character. She's strong. She learned to fight from young age, you know, it's really uncommon in fantasy. I know when the female main character knows how to fight and wield a sword, but I love it. Can't get enough of it. So I definitely recommend, and I think I just got distracted by other stuff.

Devonnie:

Yeah,

Jordan:

but it was cute. Spicy was good at the beginning, their declarations towards each other, and was so cute, and I'm scared to see what happens next, but we'll see.

Devonnie:

Okay, don't fight me about my next wreck because technically is not a witch, but I'm going to explain

Jordan:

she's a muggle?

Devonnie:

this, she's a muggle. She's very much muggly. Muggle ish. This is Do Your Worst by Rosie Danen. Danen? Danen. Danen. Rosie. Is the author's first name.

Jordan:

Rosie D.

Devonnie:

Rosie. I don't, I just don't know if it's Danen or Danen. Either way, it's Do Your Worst. The cover's so cute. It's so cute. FMC is having a steer down with the MMC on the cover and I just love that. But the reason I'm adding this to our witchy Recs and she's not a witch is this. She, our female main character, Riley Rhodes, is an occult expert. Okay. I know you're losing. I know I'm

Jordan:

no, I'm not. No, I love Colts. I love Colts. Yeah, no, give me

Devonnie:

She's an occult expert. She has, she's a regular human being. They have internet and regular phones and cars.

Jordan:

Okay. She's me.

Devonnie:

She breaks curses.

Jordan:

Okay.

Devonnie:

saying? Okay. So

Jordan:

Give me more Tell me more

Devonnie:

I'm just in my head saying how wild of a wreck this is for the

Jordan:

No, I almost I had one and then I realized it was just fey Magic and not witches and I was like, oh I gotta take this out. So but this is good. No, I hear it. There's magic involved. You're good.

Devonnie:

right. She's breaking curses. So I think it's witchy. Okay. So basically sparks fly when our little occult expert links up with a disgraced archeologist. This is Goodreads words. Not mine. You know, I don't want to call him disgraced, but he is

Jordan:

character. You're afraid of

Devonnie:

yeah. So his name is Clark. He, Clark Edgewear has a, you know, I'm not gonna lie to you. When I first, when you first read Edgewear, to be fair, he is a British man. It's giving David Attenborough is his dad. That's the vibe. That's the vibe. Anyway, and Riley's from like Connecticut or something. She's from the

Jordan:

Okay.

Devonnie:

This takes place It's in the Scottish Highlands? Is it Scotland or is it Ireland? I actually can't remember.

Jordan:

Oh, don't offend. You need to,

Devonnie:

Oh no, I know. It is, okay, Scottish, but because it's a Scottish castle, that's where they, that's where they go. Basically, Riley is raised by her grandmother who, Believed that places can harbor magic and energy and not necessarily that people have to be magicians or witches or wizards, but that places and things can harbor energy from whatever the dying wish of whoever, was there, whatever they put out in the universe, that energy. And as a scientist, if you believe that energy never dies, that it exists, then it's kind of that same application to like things, right? So when people start having you know, weird things happening in their house, when a doll shows up in a baby's crib in the middle of the night and the parents don't know what to do, they're calling Riley who's trying to get her curse breaking business off the ground. She has business cards.

Jordan:

what is the name of this

Devonnie:

a website. This is do your worst. So you have this like woman who believes in energy and places holding it and she's trying to break this curse at the Scottish castle. She gets brought on by a team to help it because like the people in the neighborhood We'll swear up and down that yes this castle is cursed. There's no other explanation. Things die. People move out. No one can hold the lead. There's, we need the cleanse. So now they're calling in Riley when Riley gets there. To the Scottish Highlands. She walks into a bar, ends up meeting this guy who like, so charming, so handsome, Amazing. He like pretty much tells her that he's an archaeologist. She doesn't recognize him. He's very famous and currently disgraced because of some actions that happened previously and basically he's been brought on for Archeology reasons right to dig up artifacts and look up stuff and try to understand what else is going on in this castle so they meet that first night. I think they share a kiss like it is very cute You could tell the vibe is vibing and then they Oh for sure. They don't see each other again until riley gets to work. She goes to the Castle and she's i'm here to break some curses and she hears two people talking right? And as soon as she walks in she realizes That the guy she met last night. Is the archeologist. And he's also talking to the, I guess the person who's running the whole show about why she's a crack. And like, why would you hire someone? So you have that's his energy. He does not believe a thing. He doesn't believe a thing Riley's talking about. Right. Okay, here's the plot. Things start happening in the castle that Clark cannot explain. He just, he doesn't know, he's applying science, the way Riley explains things is scientific in nature, even though she's talking about curses and breaking them, but she approaches things from research, right? She's looking at artifacts, she wants to dial back to when these things started, who were the characters in play? Why would there even be a curse? What was the situation that someone with their dying breath would say something That would trap this energy and make it so negative for people, right? So it becomes like trying to solve this or race against the time he needs this. He needs this project to go well to kind of renew his his stature in his career. And she needs this because she's trying to get her curse breaking business off the ground. She needs a win. Our girl Riley needs a win. This turns into a steamy, very steamy enemies with benefits. Y'all, I have never read enemies with benefits, not friends with, because I mean, to be fair, when they first met, they were friends. Right. But then after he's talking shit about our girl she's sick of him. Yeah. She's sick of him. So there are enemies and also cannot deny the fact that they want to touch each other. And they're just like, you know what?

Jordan:

I need to read this. I

Devonnie:

Yeah, it's like hate but whatever we're gonna do it. Obviously it does have a happy ever after like towards the end So you get that classic romance feels but it is comedic gold the things that happen to these two people The way Clark has to change his like mindset around things and even by the end of the book I don't think he fully agrees with her career and what she's doing, but he doesn't deny it He's like he believes in her, you know? So I thought it was really good. I think the spice out out of five chili peppers, I would probably maybe a four just because I think Clark has a mouth and you know, we love them with a mouth. Yeah, so I think I would give the spice maybe a 3. 5, four, but it was really funny. And she may not be a witch, but if you're out here breaking curses, I feel like I'm a lump you in with the curse. All the other witches, you know what I'm saying? So contemporary romance, very cute. Do your worst Rosie Danen.

Jordan:

Love it. Actually, I'm really interested in that. My next one is The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. This one's been around for a few

Devonnie:

Ooh, I've heard this one. Yeah. I never got to read

Jordan:

I think it actually won a prize. It won the Goodreads choice award. It was a nominee for best fantasy in 2022. Didn't say the author. Sengu Mandana, yeah, S A N G U,

Devonnie:

'cause I don't know. Yeah,

Jordan:

so this one is very witchy. Witches in this world cannot be in close proximity to each other for long periods of time, or their magic will kind of clash and they will, it will build and gather attention or weird things will happen or catastrophes will happen. And on top of that, witches who give birth to. Another witch, so they have a girl, they always die, like within the first year as a, so

Devonnie:

The witch or the girl? Oh the. Okay. Oh no,

Jordan:

it's a very isolating life. So Mika Moon is our FMC here. Our main character Mika Moon. How cute is it?

Devonnie:

I love that name.

Jordan:

also, if I'm remembering correctly, this takes place in England. She is Indian, Because of all these different layers of isolation. She wasn't raised typically. She was raised by nannies and it was like a revolving door of nannies at that because weird things would happen around her as a child with magic, she was taken in by an older witch, which is usually what happens. But she left her basically on the estate with nannies and would only come around sometimes. So Mika Moon has led a very lonely life because of all of this. She does quote unquote magic on her social media for fun. So people just think it's special effects they can't be known to the regular world Obviously because witch trials as we learned in the last witch in Edinburgh. Duh. Yeah she does these Tricks and potions and stuff on her socials and that's one of her favorite things and because of all this stuff She moves regularly every couple years. So she doesn't really have attachments. She has no real relationships Every I think it's a few months or a year The witches of the area or the country will gather for a day to check in with each other and then that's like all they can do, and celebrate each other, but they're not really close because that's really all they get. Through her socials, all of a sudden, one day she gets this email from someone that she's never met asking her if she could come teach magic to three young witches. At this strange place called Nowhere House. Now she finds this really peculiar because there should never be three witches living in a place together. And they're young. They're obviously not, there's not an official register, but there's few enough of them where she wouldn't like, no, they don't have a quote unquote patron or like witch taking care of so she's like kind of scared cause she feels like she's been found out cause she's I don't know what you're talking about. These are just.

Devonnie:

right.

Jordan:

they're like, well, then just come over and talk to us anyways. So she goes out there, which by the way, she gets in her little car and she can use magic to like basically fast travel. And it's so

Devonnie:

Oh my god.

Jordan:

this magic is so cool. It's just fun. So the children have been kept secret, even though they shouldn't be kept together. Mika gives in. goes there, there's, there's a housekeeper two men that live together on the estate who helped take care of the estate and do groundskeeping and things like that. And then there's Jamie. He's a grumpy librarian. He takes care of the personal library of this estate and he tutors the girls and he is basically like their surrogate father. Now, the person who owns this estate is not there when she gets there. And the person who owns this estate is a witch, but she's apparently always traveling and she's doing excavations. And that's like her main thing. So she's never there, but she took it. Apparently, she took in these 3 girls. They're all obviously not sisters, but they are basically adopted sisters and they've been together for most of their lives, but their magic is getting to a point where they need someone who understands the magic to come in. Now, the people who work there know about magic, not only because they're employer. She didn't necessarily share it with them, but one of the groundskeepers mother, like his mother was a witch. So he's familiar with this and he knows the basic rules, but he doesn't understand a lot. Anyways, it takes her a while to find her place there because Jamie does not trust her. Jamie does not want her there. He is. You know, he's the grumpy to her calm sunshine. She's a calm sunshine. Do you know what I mean? Like she's very much just like a calm presence

Devonnie:

I love that.

Jordan:

She's trying to find her place in this house. She sees these girls and in these girls She also sees like what she's always seen Mist being so alone and so it's very she has moments where she's very reflective of her own childhood and like the hurts She went through and so she's trying to teach these girls and the oldest one Of course is in this phase where she's obstinate like whatever you what do you mean? I can float up on the ceiling I don't tell me what to do. I'm gonna go do this and I'm gonna so it's like magic going Hey, why are her trying to teach lessons and stay calm her finding common ground with Jamie? But she still doesn't know what to do because her Patron, or person who basically raised her, is the leader. She's like the head witch of this area, and so she's if anyone finds these girls, they will be separated.

Devonnie:

Yeah.

Jordan:

But also, based on their magic, they maybe should. So anyways, as she finds her place in the new home, new threats arise. A few threats arise, and she has to decide what side she's gonna take, and who she's gonna stand with, and who she's gonna trust. There's definitely a twist in there that I was not expecting.

Devonnie:

Ooh, we love a twist.

Jordan:

Yeah, there's, I love the tension between Jamie and Mika. Jamie and Mika, I didn't even, I haven't even talked about the romance much because I, okay, I haven't even talked about this. I love witches. I love magic. I love everything about it so much. But their romance is very slow burn. It's very much about they're reluctant to give in, but it's, but they have these deep feelings because they get to know each other on a deeper level. Yes, they're both attracted to the other, but it's not this big boiling they're not uncontrollable adults. They're older adults who know themselves, but they also know what they want. And it's.

Devonnie:

They're just not

Jordan:

It's just, it's beautiful the way they get to know each other and the way they have to let their guards down and I just really, I really enjoyed reading that, that relationship come to light.

Devonnie:

do we get his POV?

Jordan:

No.

Devonnie:

No, we don't.

Jordan:

Ooh! Maybe you do it near the end.

Devonnie:

Okay.

Jordan:

Maybe you do later on. Maybe you do Sorry, it's been a little while since I've read this. I read this six months ago. And that's a long time for That's a lot of

Devonnie:

So many books can be read. Yeah, I was just curious

Jordan:

I read it in March. Yeah. Beginning of March. That's a lot of books. That was like a hundred books ago. I think maybe you do get his eventually. Yeah, I just love the magic. I love her teaching the girl. I don't know. It's a really moving, meaning It's not as serious as my first one,

Devonnie:

yeah,

Jordan:

But it's a Crumpy Sunshine. And it's an adult. A true adult Crumpy Sunshine. They both lived lives and are now finding each other.

Devonnie:

Yeah. Oh, I

Jordan:

And found family. Lots of found family.

Devonnie:

Oh Love that. I know it sound like the groundskeepers and stuff like

Jordan:

Oh, yeah, they're so cute because they're cute. They always try to push Jamie and Mika together, too They always

Devonnie:

Oh, are they meddling?

Jordan:

They meddle from the very beginning, which is the best part.

Devonnie:

I love meddling

Jordan:

Oh, I'm going to town. Yeah, me too. So we all get there. Well, I'm sorry. I can't go now I guess it's just you two with the kids. Okay. Bye

Devonnie:

Bye. Yeah. No, I love meddling found family. Absolutely.

Jordan:

you're great

Devonnie:

So my last rec is actually the book that I spoke about earlier in the episode where I took that quote from, which is the witch collector from the witch walker series. This is the first book and they're currently. All three, like I said, all three books, three out of five books are out. So I think there's supposed to be five, three of them are out. One we know of that's like coming out. We have the title and everything. And the fifth one, I think all we have is the title.

Jordan:

Okay,

Devonnie:

Either way, this true, which is

Jordan:

I like how you have to just say

Devonnie:

yeah, I have to say that because the last one, maybe Riley, not my curse breaker, babe. Yeah, we have magic in this. It is set in a fantasy world as well. So it's fantasy and which is it follows Raina Bloodgood, who is our female main character. And yeah, we One thing that I really do love about this, which I don't know if it's a spoiler because it's not, when I look up the descriptions for this book, no one mentions it, but I think it's such an interesting thing to add. So Reina Bloodgood, as you know, which is some, not all, which is just say incantations in their head or just wave your hands. Like sometimes you have to say things out loud, this specific brand of which that they are sing their magic. So they sing and that's how they weave their magic.

Jordan:

huh.

Devonnie:

was born without the ability to speak and she's a witch. And so her mother teaches her what we would know as BSL or ASL. In this world it's called S E, which is signed exact English. So basically Raina learns to use her signs. In a way that sings the way her witchy counterparts can. And I think that's so magical because she's a witch and she be witching, but she's also silent. You know, she's not the same as her counterparts. So I think just that like difference in, in her journey as a witch is. Share that that's amazing. Can't imagine all the people who can see themselves in her Anyway, this in this particular story so it's called a witch collector because there is a gentleman who comes around collecting witches as you would expect and Obviously, he has bypassed Reina because Reina cannot speak. So She's can't speak. She can't sing. No one really knows that she's a witch on top of that Her mother has actually been hiding that she is a witch because they are covered in runes So their runes and their witches marks clearly will let you know who's a witch or her mother has been protecting her sister gets taken the year before or so and so Raina is like Pumped she's like this is my year. He's gonna collect me and I'm gonna save my sister and I need to figure out a way the witch collectors name is Alexis and He is like a couple hundred years old. First of all,

Jordan:

Oh

Devonnie:

Reyna is like 25 I think 24 25, but Alexis is a couple hundred years old He is basically doing this witch collecting on behalf of the Frost King who I'm not gonna lie to y'all I'm not gonna lie to y'all don't love the Frost Kings name. His name is coldin

Jordan:

in okay.

Devonnie:

He, I know. It's not my favorite. Yeah.

Jordan:

It's okay You got to have a little plan words. I could do cold in it's just like I feel like the first name and last name don't

Devonnie:

They don't vibe and I, everyone calls them cold and Moeshka. So

Jordan:

Okay, so I was just playing with some of the way what else I like

Devonnie:

But yeah, so basically we go on a hero's journey of trying to get to her sister, finding out the world about witches, and then everything gets turned upside down when I'm trying to think if this is a spoiler. Sorry. One second. It might be a spoiler. There's something that happens, but in, in this happening, she ends up with Alexis and now they have to be teamed together, especially because Alexis mentions her sister and her sister is perfectly fine. Alexis was actually sent to go get Reina this time and he was specifically looking for her. So she gets to go off on a journey with him, but there is a villain the Prince of the East. This is what he's labeled as and Basically gods are gods come into play old gods dead gods who have had yeah, like there are old

Jordan:

a lot going on.

Devonnie:

So much going on in this world and it's a real like quest and journey We spend 95 of our time in the forest. I just It's real heroes journey stuff here but of course we have a relationship that starts to spark between reina and alexis And of course, Reina's sister taught Alexis sign and he could communicate with her when no one else can.

Jordan:

Oh.

Devonnie:

first, let me tell you something. At the beginning, you hate Alexis because you have no context. So you're like, not you collecting widgets.

Jordan:

I love those so

Devonnie:

I hated that man. I hate, I was like, I was sick of him. I was sick of him. And then you start to see who he is. Obviously he's not the villain of the story, you know? And once that changes, you start to realize just how much he cares for Raina. So that was really nice. But also, yeah, there's a huge, there's a God's knife. There are gods who are like whispering things. Everyone seems to, as far as I can see, cause I'm also almost done with book two now, everyone seems to be a pawn in what the gods have in store and nobody seems to realize it. So I'm waiting for everyone to realize. because I'm like, are y'all not seeing what I'm seeing? Maybe I can't because y'all are in it. Either way, like I said, I think it's a good story if you want like witches in a fantasy world with Typical fantasy things. A big quest. If you're a quest person, you'll love this. Spice? Miss Charissa, don't hold back on the spice.

Jordan:

Oh,

Devonnie:

think it ramps up. Like the first book, I, you have to wait pretty much until the end of the book. The second book. And from what I've heard, the third book, there are some things. So my, one of my best friends, Glenn, She read the third book and she called me or she listened to it. One of them, she loves this series by the way. Hey Glenn. She said, Hey, she called me after she read a certain scene. She was like, I need you to get to book three already because I almost. She said she almost DNF'd or stopped reading because of the type of spice that was happening in I said sign me up because I know that it was probably normal. Well, not normal, but like I knew for me

Jordan:

Yeah.

Devonnie:

be reading, you know, I was just like, okay good glad to hear it. Glad to hear it Can't

Jordan:

this episode is really missing is the really hot spice, I'll

Devonnie:

the really hot. Yeah. So book three, if you're into that, apparently there's something in book three that Glenn said she almost DNF cause it was too much spice. So I can't wait to get there. I'll be there soon. I'll update you guys on another episode on what that exact scene was, but yeah, which collector series I'm into it.

Jordan:

Okay. I've seen it. I've downloaded it on Libby like twice.

Devonnie:

Yeah.

Jordan:

I didn't even get hardly anywhere in it, but for some reason, I don't know if I just wasn't in the mood for it. I just couldn't get it. But

Devonnie:

I think

Jordan:

okay, hearing the whole thing, I feel like I could be invested. Okay.

Devonnie:

Yeah, and you do have to pay attention because there is so much happening and there is a good decent Portion of it spent on world building and I just understanding. Yeah, you have to be in the right mindset

Jordan:

Yeah. Okay. Good to know. Especially if I know Spice is coming. And I also, I love when I hate the male main character in the beginning.

Devonnie:

Absolutely

Jordan:

that is a true enemies to lovers. Don't give me this rivals

Devonnie:

Yeah, like you guys don't hate each other for a

Jordan:

no. I want

Devonnie:

a

Jordan:

I need, give me rook status. I think, speaking about the ultimate witch,

Devonnie:

right? I miss them I miss ruck and

Jordan:

Give me Soren. I even now, I'm team Soren, but I'm also, still, I don't know if I fully forgive you 100

Devonnie:

Yeah, I don't forgive

Jordan:

I don't, we can move forward, but it's gonna take me a bit. We'll get there, but, Oh, Rook and Soren.

Devonnie:

y'all already know Rook is our ultimate witch.

Jordan:

Rook is our number one witch. Number one witch, and I think our second witch would be Coven of Bones cities, or, oh, Rune is great from Heartless Hunter. We'll talk about Heartless Hunter. I do want to say Coven of Bones series.

Devonnie:

Love

Jordan:

So good. You want which that's a really great, which one we've talked about it before, but I just wanted to mention it.

Devonnie:

Good

Jordan:

Those are good. Those it's amazing spice, especially once that second book hits

Devonnie:

Yeah. It really takes off in the second book.

Jordan:

so hot, it's good in the first spice. And the second one is just like fan myself

Devonnie:

Right.

Jordan:

That mouth. But yeah, you, okay. Rune in The Heartless Hunter. Well, we want to talk about that one. We both loved that one. Is a witch in a time where you can't be a witch again. When she was, it was like a few years ago in order to save herself, she basically had to turn in her grandma.

Devonnie:

Yes.

Jordan:

And she was like, To this basically turn her into the state to the Queens

Devonnie:

Right.

Jordan:

But she has to turn her grandma in by her grandma's command

Devonnie:

Her, yes.

Jordan:

And in this world Witches get, they're blood witches essentially. So they gain their magic through bloodletting. And when they bloodlet, it leaves scars,

Devonnie:

silver scars.

Jordan:

scars. So it's easy to identify a witch. She doesn't have any scars cause she hadn't hit that point yet when this all happened. But her praises are sung by the rulers and by the land, and she is considered herself. A witch hunter, essentially, A hero.

Devonnie:

to the crown

Jordan:

Yeah, and high society knows her so she gets her magic because she can't be cutting herself. And if you cut someone else that's not willing, that's considered dark magic. It's a different kind of magic that you're going to Bring into the world. And also if you do it and they're willing, it's still going to leave a mark and you don't want to do that to other people. And so tricky situation. But her workaround is like my feminist favorite. She uses her menstrual cycle blood To power her magic. So she only has limited amount for the month.

Devonnie:

Right

Jordan:

And the fresher it is, the stronger the magic.

Devonnie:

the magic

Jordan:

I'm just like, this is, so if you don't like blood, this is not for you. Because they talk about, I mean, she uses,

Devonnie:

significant amount of blood. Yeah

Jordan:

yeah, but our main character is a witch hunter. And this is an enemy's, oh, he does, yeah, he blames witches for a lot of his lot in life and rightfully

Devonnie:

rightfully so right

Jordan:

Not the whole of witches, but what happened to him, very

Devonnie:

very yes, very traumatic and that would change anyone.

Jordan:

It's listed as young adult, and I don't know if that's because the spice, there isn't a ton of spice in this first one. But there's some dark stuff that happens in this, and some dark trauma. I, when I read this, it did not necessarily read young adult to me.

Devonnie:

same

Jordan:

It's just, and it's this big, of course, game of who to trust, and can I trust him? I feel like I can, but I know I shouldn't am I gonna listen to my head or my heart, and how far am I gonna trust him, and,

Devonnie:

Yeah, especially because rune with her, her being in high society is a mask. It is a cover because her real work is the fact that she is a vigilante and she is trying to basically save witches and get them out of the Republic, get them out of the government. So

Jordan:

is known as the Crimson Moth.

Devonnie:

Yes, she is known as the Crimson Moth and it's this game of cat and mouse between, you know, talking about the Crimson Moth disparagingly and talking about witches horribly so that people can continue to believe her ruse and like this image that she's selling of this ditzy high society girl who loves to buy dresses. So yeah, it's just really interesting to see her friendships and relationships.

Jordan:

Yeah, because I was gonna say, her best friend is A male, I mean, because which is discovered, they have magic the first time that they have their period. And he discovered her right after she first bled for the first time. So he knows she's a witch, But he helped her through this, but it's his older brother, Gideon, that is

Devonnie:

the witch

Jordan:

Witch hunter. So there is this close. So like this close friendship, like web. Right. And so it's so interesting. She has two people that she trusts, essentially, two friends, and it's, ugh.

Devonnie:

It's heartbreaking at some points it's so heartbreaking, but also I will say that when the plots be twisting, they will twist. This book has some serious plot twists. So be prepared and cliffhanger.

Jordan:

Yeah, I'm,

Devonnie:

not come out until next year.

Jordan:

yeah, I cannot wait until the next book.

Devonnie:

The next book is called Rebel Witch. Yeah. Rebel Witch. So I cannot wait because it was so good. It went viral for, it was viral for a while

Jordan:

like right after it came out,

Devonnie:

Right. It was super viral. So you've honestly probably seen it around and maybe you've thought to yourself, Oh, I don't know. Do it, read it. Like it is very good. So good. Definitely worth it, especially for supporting our bloodletting witches.

Jordan:

Oh, I just love that. It's so feminine metal. It was just

Devonnie:

Yes. And I sorry, not to bring up my friend Glenn again, but Glenn is the one who told me to read this, cause she, yeah, hey Glenn, she loved this book. Right? She loved this book, but Kristen Ciccarelli also has tons of books out, and Glenn went down a rabbit hole of Kristen books. Yes. And there are so many Glenn loves to talk about like the characters and the world building and just that Christian books are so good. There's another series she has the last num Sarah. Yeah. They're she,

Jordan:

Without being

Devonnie:

is an author, right. They just like really good, beautiful language thick, deep,

Jordan:

meaningful?

Devonnie:

Meaningful characters, thick, deep

Jordan:

They have layers.

Devonnie:

Yeah Chris Siccarelli is definitely an author you should add to your list. Because she has more than this Crimson Moth series. But yeah that's all I had to say about that.

Jordan:

I have so and I will give a special nod to a couple that I was debating whether I should do it, but I just want to say these are I have two special noms that are I call my hallmark vibes. So my hallmark, which is, which there's spice, but I'm like, this is very much like rom com esque. Hallmark Witch. The X Hex by Aaron Sterling, I've seen so many places. I just finally got it on Libby and I decided to listen to it for this episode. I didn't feature it, but I just think it is summarized with Hallmark vibes. So if you're looking for that in a witch, that one also a demon's guide to wooing a witch by Sarah Howley, it was fun. Whimsical involves demons and witches and adventuring. It's just like Hallmark whimsy.

Devonnie:

Love that. Cozy.

Jordan:

I'd say the X Hex is cozy. A demon's guide to wooing a witch maybe is more like the CW. I should say not like Hallmark. It's more like CW vibes, but more like. More I'd say One Tree Hill versus, oh no, I guess it's like Vampire Diaries, maybe. But more comedy vibes. It's interesting. It's interesting, it's fun, if that's the kind of vibe you're going for. A demon's guide to wooing a witch. Sarah Howley. A controlling mother that she has to overcome.

Devonnie:

of course,

Jordan:

But I love him, mother. I don't care if he's a demon.

Devonnie:

right?

Jordan:

The demons need us. We're gonna go help their rebellion. Kind of a thing. So

Devonnie:

God.

Jordan:

it's so interesting. I mean, witches. Witches. Run the gambit of there's so much I love seeing magic represented in different ways. I just,

Devonnie:

Yes. And please make sure y'all read my new favorite witch, Delia, in Hot Hex Boyfriend, please. I love her.

Jordan:

oh, yeah.

Devonnie:

witch. And the Meriwether coven,

Jordan:

Love

Devonnie:

aka not coven.

Jordan:

Let us know if you have any good witch reads because I actually would love more. I'm realizing that I had quite a bit and I want more. As we head into the Halloween season.

Devonnie:

Ooh, spooky.

Jordan:

Thanks for listening to us ramble about witchy romance books. If you're looking for more romance Recs, be sure to follow us on TOK at romance Recs pod, or hop on over to our discord. Romance Recs is the name of our server. You can find our favorite book Recs from our episodes as well as behind the scenes content again, that's at romance Recs pod. So make sure to give us a follow and we'll be back next week with another episode by witches.

Devonnie:

Bye. Peace out, witches. Bye, witches. Bye.