Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches by Kate Scelsa

11 reviews

the_lesbrarian's review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

While working in a witchy shop in Salem, high school outcast and skeptic Eleanor gets invited to join a local coven and quickly falls for one of the other girls, despite her best efforts not to. Eleanor is thrilled for a chance to start over, but as the difficult events of Eleanor’s last year are slowly revealed, she struggles to keep her present and past separate. The story is fun, if not a little uneven both in pacing and characterization. The main character can at times be frustratingly overdramatic, but in some ways her thoughts capture how important and messy everything feels in high school.  “Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches“ is another quick queer book to ring in autumn, with a lesbian mc and multiple established LGBTQ+ characters and relationships. 

Although the premise is cozy and solidly in the YA category, there are several significant triggering events in this book, so be sure to check tws before picking it up. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Alcohol, and Homophobia

befrazzledenby's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.0

Eleanor, girlypop, wtf. You are the problem. 

I absolutely went into this for the witchy lesbian Halloween vibes, and it fell so short. The romance between Pix and Eleanor had so much potential, as did her moments in the coven, but wow did this book just not focus on that at all. I love a good bubbly/broody romance trope, but all of it was so overdone and felt fake. I wish this had focused more on the relationship aspect of Eleanor and Pix rather than Eleanor's past. There was so much room for healing and growth to happen in their relationship for both of them, but Eleanor was so hellbent on being in her own mind that the ending felt like a different story altogether. Like girl you stalked somebody and I'm sorry you did it because you couldn't get over her being with somebody else but turning to Jesus and saying you forgive yourself? I just. That's not it for me. Or for her, I thought, but who even knows anymore.

Some things I loved: The format! So original and well done with the major arcana interspersed with the story. The parallels were lovely. And I really loved Pix and Ofira. I wish they had been in the story more. And Susan! Such a stellar cast of characters...once you remove Eleanor.

1 star. Would love to read a whole book about Pix and Ofira and the coven's witchy adventures, though. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Blood, Drug abuse, Drug use, Chronic illness, Lesbophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Stalking

mxcaswell's review against another edition

adventurous reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Lesbophobia, Stalking, and Biphobia

Moderate: Rape

powellki's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book offers a strong perspective of how our negative thinking can warp our reality.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Medical content, Cursing, Violence, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Alcohol, Biphobia, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Grief, Alcoholism, Blood, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Stalking

torikate7's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Bullying, and Alcohol

Moderate: Cursing and Emotional abuse

Minor: Blood, Rape, Sexual assault, Biphobia, and Drug use

bi_n_large's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Bullying, Alcohol, Homophobia, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Chronic illness, and Mental illness

Minor: Biphobia and Sexual harassment

dayoldcoffee's review against another edition

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Bullying

trigger warning: attempted rape (chapter 16)

kyahfae's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Addiction, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Rape, Chronic illness, and Sexual assault

Minor: Vomit

betweentheshelves's review against another edition

emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This is going to be the perfect October book, honestly! I loved the witchy vibes and the way that the story was framed overall by tarot cards. I learned a lot about tarot cards that I didn't know before, and I loved the setting of Salem. Given what Salem is associated with, seeing Eleanor's perspective and the way it's been made so commercial really gave the book a fall feel. I loved that.

There's a lot of a buildup in this book to something, but not a ton of resolution? A lot of the reviews on here are mad about the excessive marijuana smoking and it not being addressed, but that honestly didn't really bother me. I think I just wanted to see a little more of Eleanor's healing process there at the end; it overall just felt a little rushed to me.

But, if you're looking for a sapphic witchy book to read this fall, I'd definitely recommend this one!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, and Sexual assault

Minor: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Rape

_teoeo's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Addiction, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia