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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
While better than book two, this was still chock full of eye rollingingly trite dialogue and themes. Glad it’s over.
This was such a fun & quick read and a great ending to the series! These characters are FLAWED but it makes them seem more real & added more to the story! I couldn’t stand some of them at times and it made it more fun to read! The plot was engaging and I wanted to keep reading to see how it would end! I had a lot of fun reading this one!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hex You is the final book in the Sisters of Salem series following twin sister witches Mercy and Hunter, protectors of the gates to the underworld. On the eve of coming into their powers on their 16th birthday, the gates begin to weaken and rot and a demon gets through, murdering their mother. Now the twin sisters, new witches on the Path, must figure out how to heal the gates and stop any more demons from getting free into their world.
I think where I went wrong with this book is going in with pre-conceived expectations. I looked up reviews about the series and saw that the main characters are two twin witches, one gay and one straight, and thought that sounded really interesting - Hunter being gay isn't even mentioned once in Hex You. I read the description of "gates to different underworlds" and "mythology" and thought since I love mythology, especially underworld mythology, I'm in! BUT the different worlds and their mythology are barely touched upon in this book. I was excited to see Mercy and Khenti's adventures in escaping from the Ancient Egyptian Underworld (Ancient Egyptian mythology has always held a special place in my heart) - they're out within the first 3 chapters; most of the book takes place in small-town Illinois.
I also wasn't prepared for Xena, the Goode family cat familiar. Outside of her feline form, Xena is most often in her cat-person form, described like an extra from CATS the musical with a wild mane of hair and fur-covered human body. She lounges around eating, talking about eating, and randomly licking people on the face - very catlike, but also very jarring, especially when it happens during high-tension scenes.
It's not a badly written book, and I especially loved the Buffy references, and if I'd had a stronger connection to the characters the plot would have probably been more of an emotional ride, but I just didn't. Don't get me wrong, the authors do a great job of recounting what happened in the previous books so I wasn't lost plotwise, but the emotional impact was missing for me as a new to the series reader.
Overall, I don't recommend this as a series to jump into, because the payoff just isn't there without the emotional connection that comes from following these characters' journey from the beginning. And, honestly, I didn't love the ending or the characters enough to want to go back and pick up the series from the beginning to see if it changed my perspective. Not a bad book or series, but just not for me.
*Thank you to Netgalley for a review copy
I think where I went wrong with this book is going in with pre-conceived expectations. I looked up reviews about the series and saw that the main characters are two twin witches, one gay and one straight, and thought that sounded really interesting - Hunter being gay isn't even mentioned once in Hex You. I read the description of "gates to different underworlds" and "mythology" and thought since I love mythology, especially underworld mythology, I'm in! BUT the different worlds and their mythology are barely touched upon in this book. I was excited to see Mercy and Khenti's adventures in escaping from the Ancient Egyptian Underworld (Ancient Egyptian mythology has always held a special place in my heart) - they're out within the first 3 chapters; most of the book takes place in small-town Illinois.
I also wasn't prepared for Xena, the Goode family cat familiar. Outside of her feline form, Xena is most often in her cat-person form, described like an extra from CATS the musical with a wild mane of hair and fur-covered human body. She lounges around eating, talking about eating, and randomly licking people on the face - very catlike, but also very jarring, especially when it happens during high-tension scenes.
It's not a badly written book, and I especially loved the Buffy references, and if I'd had a stronger connection to the characters the plot would have probably been more of an emotional ride, but I just didn't. Don't get me wrong, the authors do a great job of recounting what happened in the previous books so I wasn't lost plotwise, but the emotional impact was missing for me as a new to the series reader.
Overall, I don't recommend this as a series to jump into, because the payoff just isn't there without the emotional connection that comes from following these characters' journey from the beginning. And, honestly, I didn't love the ending or the characters enough to want to go back and pick up the series from the beginning to see if it changed my perspective. Not a bad book or series, but just not for me.
*Thank you to Netgalley for a review copy
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
2⭐️
The third and final book in the Sisters of Salem trilogy was exactly what I expected it to be, and that is; not good.
I have to say that we did have some character development in this book but it still didn’t make me love, or even sympathise with any of them. The dialogue remains overly cringe and the writing was poor.
In my opinion this book was pointless because the other two book in the series were better. This could have been a duology for sure.
2⭐️
The third and final book in the Sisters of Salem trilogy was exactly what I expected it to be, and that is; not good.
I have to say that we did have some character development in this book but it still didn’t make me love, or even sympathise with any of them. The dialogue remains overly cringe and the writing was poor.
In my opinion this book was pointless because the other two book in the series were better. This could have been a duology for sure.
A 3.5-star review (rounded to 4 for Amazon/Goodreads) capturing the essence of an adventurous yet slightly flawed fantasy journey. The narrative weaves a rich tapestry of magical intrigue, though at times, it seems to stumble over its own complexity. The characters are vividly drawn, with the protagonists' development offering a mix of empowerment and vulnerability that's engaging. However, the pacing can feel uneven, with some sections racing forward and others meandering. The world-building is expansive and detailed, inviting readers into a well-constructed universe of spells and mysticism. Yet, it's the occasional lapses in narrative cohesion and a few predictable plot twists that might leave readers wanting. Overall, 'Hex You' by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast is commendable, offering enough magic and adventure to satisfy.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I was not at all prepared for the ending. Lots of big feelings and tissues are required.
I am completely obsessed with this cover! But sadly, the book itself was just okay. I couldn't get into it. Will share full thoughts later.
Mercy and Hunter are now the protectors of the Gates since their mother was murdered by a demon. These gates lead to different underworlds where creatures of legend and mythology are real. When Mercy and Khenti get trapped in the Ancient Egyptian Underworld, Hunter must determine what needs to be done to get them out. Of course, one catastrophe is not enough. Amphitrite has not been completely defeated and she plans to get revenge on Hunter. Since Hunter is stretched thin with too many magical attacks, the Gates are no longer keeping the creatures at bay. Will Hunter save her twin and the residents of Goodeville? What sacrifices will need to be made along the way?
Hex You is the third book in the Sisters of Salem series. This supernatural novel takes off quickly and does not spend a lot of time rehashing events from the previous books (thank goodness), yet I had no problem following along and quickly remembered who everyone was. This is not a very long book so the twists and turns came regularly and the characters were varied, yet relatable. I believe this is supposed to be a trilogy (and this part of the story is complete), but I can see Cast and Cast creating more stories in this world they created.
Hex You is the third book in the Sisters of Salem series. This supernatural novel takes off quickly and does not spend a lot of time rehashing events from the previous books (thank goodness), yet I had no problem following along and quickly remembered who everyone was. This is not a very long book so the twists and turns came regularly and the characters were varied, yet relatable. I believe this is supposed to be a trilogy (and this part of the story is complete), but I can see Cast and Cast creating more stories in this world they created.
We left the last book with Mercy stuck in the underworld and Hunter facing off against a vindictive and spiteful goddess, and this one has the action-packed beginning that anyone would expect to get after such a cliffhanger. It also has some great bonding moments and hard-hitting tension with the locals being influenced to hate the Goode witches.
I love it when it feels like authors listened to my complaints about a series and fix those things in the following books. Hex You feels like the Casts did exactly that. Gone is the overly dramatic teenage angst and back is the focus on sisterhood and battling the evil that is invading their town.
Both sisters start out in very difficult situations but leaning on each other once again helps them find the answers they're looking for, even if they're not exactly the happiest at the end. But it's that unexpectedly hard-hitting ending that convinced me this story was worth the read. Life isn't always easy, but there's always a bit of hope and support from loved ones to keep things going.
I will warn that this is one of those series where you definitely have to be familiar with previous volumes to really get everything that's going on. I don't think it'd be unreadable without having read the previous two books, but I don't think it would be as enjoyable or good.
Happy thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the read!
I love it when it feels like authors listened to my complaints about a series and fix those things in the following books. Hex You feels like the Casts did exactly that. Gone is the overly dramatic teenage angst and back is the focus on sisterhood and battling the evil that is invading their town.
Both sisters start out in very difficult situations but leaning on each other once again helps them find the answers they're looking for, even if they're not exactly the happiest at the end. But it's that unexpectedly hard-hitting ending that convinced me this story was worth the read. Life isn't always easy, but there's always a bit of hope and support from loved ones to keep things going.
I will warn that this is one of those series where you definitely have to be familiar with previous volumes to really get everything that's going on. I don't think it'd be unreadable without having read the previous two books, but I don't think it would be as enjoyable or good.
Happy thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the read!