Beattz
You know. I'm really not one for “popular fiction”. And definitely despise reading books simply bc they made some celebrity's list, it's just not how I go about picking my next read. But a friend had this on their shelf, and I had some time on my hands. At first, I really didn't think I was going to like it. It started a bit slow for me. But the next time I picked it up I read a hundred pages. Then it was half over. Then I finished it in one fell swoop. I'm not picking up the next book on the list by any means, but this one earned its place.
3 stars for the audiobook. Performance was great overall, but it was nearly impossible to keep all of the races/families straight. Some words seemed to be used interchangeably in one instance, but then very different in others. Even tried to look at the authors website for clarification on the terms and it was unhelpful.
For a book named City of Brass, I assumed we'd read a lot more about the City itself, but felt underwhelmed by the descriptions provided.
For all of that, the characters are engaging, if stereotypical/extreme in one sense or another. Im invested enough to want to know what happens next.
I received a free digital copy of this book courtesy of a Goodreads, First Reads giveaway. All ratings and sentiments are my own.
Everyone has a guilty pleasure. I like to pretend that I'm some hardened, jaded cynic that doesn't need or enjoy tales of romance. And especially not ones set in a world full of magic spells, and those who have the innate power to untangle them.
What can I say? I'm a sucker and Charlie gets me every single time. All of her books I've read so far (6 to date) I have thoroughly enjoyed, and Spellmaker is no exception. I look forward to continuing my way through Ms. Holmberg's collection.
October 2020
It was outstanding. Really. The first time since The Night Circus that I've had to force my self away from a book, to be able to savor the magic just a bit longer. The pendulum swung at just the right moment, every time. A supremely well crafted story, full of detail and whimsy. Go read it. Go appreciate it.
August 2025 Re-read
Turns out, I still love this book. All in all, not surprising. But I love it for different reasons this time around. The first time I read it 5 years ago I was completely wrapped up in the magic of the story - Of how the cursed worked and how Addie and Henry learned to move in the spaces left for them. This time, however, it was the characters that sunk their hooks into me so sharply. I'm not typically a “self-insert-er” when it comes to books/characters, but when I tell you that every interaction from Henry's POV left me gasping for air, trying not to choke on my tears, I am not exaggerating.
Last time I parceled out the story, savoring the beauty and the otherness it presented. This time, after getting to 50%, I strong armed myself to the end because I just needed the emotional torture to be over. I cried for like 90 pages straight. I had to put a cold compress on my face this morning before work so I wouldn't show up to the office looking like I'd had a terrible allergic reaction that caused my eyes to swell shut. Honestly, I can't wait to read it again in 5 years and see what it does to me then.
TL;DR: I am not a masochist and I love this book anyway.
