Early Review: Spells for Forgetting

Spells for Forgetting
Adrienne Young

Published By: Quercus Publishing
Publication Date: September 27, 2022
Date Read: September 18, 2022
Genre: Adult – Mystery / Thriller
Source: eARC from Netgalley
Format: E-Book
Pages: 352

From Goodreads:
A deeply atmospheric story about ancestral magic, an unsolved murder, and a second chance at true love.

Emery Blackwood’s life changed forever the night her best friend was found dead and the love of her life, August Salt, was accused of murdering her. Years later, she is doing what her teenage self swore she never would: living a quiet existence on the misty, remote shores of Saoirse Island and running the family’s business, Blackwood’s Tea Shoppe Herbal Tonics & Tea Leaf Readings.

But when the island, rooted in folklore and magic, begins to show signs of strange happenings, Emery knows that something is coming. The morning she wakes to find that every single tree on Saoirse has turned color in a single night, August returns for the first time in fourteen years and unearths the past that the town has tried desperately to forget.

August knows he is not welcome on Saiorse, not after the night everything changed. As a fire raged on at the Salt family orchard, Lily Morgan was found dead in the dark woods, shaking the bedrock of their tight-knit community and branding August a murderer. When he returns to bury his mother’s ashes, he must confront the people who turned their backs on him and face the one wound from his past that has never healed—Emery.

The town has more than one reason to want August gone, and the emergence of deep betrayals and hidden promises spanning generations threaten to reveal the truth behind Lily’s mysterious death once and for all.

“There are spells for breaking and spells for mending. But there are no spells for forgetting.”

There are no words to describe just how excited I was for this book. I have been a huge fan of Adrienne Young’s since I read her fantastic YA debut Sky in the Deep, and I have loved each and every book of hers I have read since. I was so excited to see that she was writing an adult book and I couldn’t wait to see how she did with an adult centric book.

Spells for Forgetting follows the story of Emery and August. August returns to the witchy island of Saoirse following the death of his mother. He left over a decade ago after he was wanted for the murder of one of his best friends, Lily. Lily’s murder still hasn’t been solved and August, and his ex Emery, find themselves thrust into a dangerous and magical past of what actually happened to Lily, and will they survive finding out.

When I picked this one up, I didn’t actually know it was a mystery / thriller kind of book. I had picked it up because I’m on a major witch book kick and it sounded like a perfect atmospheric read for autumn. Atmospheric is is! It’s such a cosy yet spooky setting and I really loved that. Honestly though… I’m left feeling really deflated and disappointed in this book. I really loved the premise, and the writing that is so authentically Adrienne Young! However, I was expecting the magic and the witch element to be much stronger in this book. At times I completely forgot there was supposed to be witches in here. It just felt like a normal contemporary thriller. But then there would be odd moments where a spell would be mentioned and it just felt strange to me. Like the author herself had forgotten that there was supposed to be magic and just added these odd moments in now and then to remind us.

Spells for Forgetting is a perfect mystery and thriller if you’re into those kinds of books. There are lots of twists and turns and I didn’t guess the ending at all. I usually do in thrillers so this is a novelty for me. However, honestly I ended up getting bored. I skim read the final 30% of the book because I just wanted it to be over. Usually I’m a pretty quick reader but this book has taken me almost 3 weeks to read… and it is by no means a thick book. I am such a huge Adrienne Young fan but I felt like this one was a little bit lackluster for me. I will be desperately awaiting her next young adult book, but I’m not sure if her adult books are for me.

“I know we’ve both had a life since the last time we were together, but I’m so tired of being without you. I don’t want to do it anymore.”