Book: Potions and Perils by Reck Well
Reviewed by Your_bookish_fantasy
Rating: 4/5
Reck well has become one of my fave authors because he gave the witches a really genuine feel! Normally witches are throwing magic all over the place with lots of unbelievable powers. And it's all high fantasy and unrelatable. This however is almost like a day in the life of a true witch, with authentic wording, credible potions and spells, and believable magic powers. There was great respect for witches written into this cozy fantasy, from the descriptions of the foraging and preparing ingredients to the witches tools and home. It really felt like all of this could be happening on the next town over.
The story itself was well written and had great descriptions and included a few unusual words include like a cantrip? I had to Google it as I'd never heard that before. (It means a small trick.)
I enjoyed the small swamp town where they lived and I enjoyed getting to know the people that lived there, we also learned of life in the east where they still burn witches (and worse).
The book was an ARC read and one I truly enjoyed, however I'm pretty sad because up until the epilogue it was going to be a 5star read! Then I read a boring, standard, thrown together ending that rushed through the loose ends tying them all up like they weren't even Important. I truly loved this book and I'm angry that the ending is so rubbish! It's like it was written by a different person altogether because its just so different in language and pace.
I'd love to read more about this town and these characters, I read this one in 1 day and although it's advertised as a romance it's really not, it's unrequited love throughout the entire story. I did enjoy that it represents lesbians and bisexuals and promotes strong friendships and there is a touch of will they, won't they, but with it being such a cozy read I was hoping for at least some romance...
The ending was predictable but it read well and worked, I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.