Title: From Bad to Cursed
Author: Lana Harper
Release Date: May 17, 2022
Format: Paperback
Where to buy: Bookshop.org | Amazon
My Rating: 4.5/5
Synopsis
Wild child Isidora Avramov is a thrill chaser, adept demon summoner, and–despite the whole sexy-evil-sorceress vibe–also a cuddly animal lover. When she’s not designing costumes and new storylines for the Arcane Emporium’s haunted house, Issa’s nursing a secret, conflicted dream of ditching her family’s witchy business to become an indie fashion designer in her own right.
But when someone starts sabotaging the celebrations leading up to this year’s Beltane festival with dark, dangerous magic, a member of the rival Thorn family gets badly hurt–throwing immediate suspicion on the Avramovs. To clear the Avramov name and step up for her family when they need her the most, Issa agrees to serve as a co-investigator, helping none other than Rowan Thorn get to the bottom of things.
Rowan is the very definition of lawful good, so tragically noble and by-the-book he makes Issa’s teeth hurt. In accordance with their families’ complicated history, he and Issa have been archenemies for years and have grown to heartily loathe each other. But as the unlikely duo follow a perplexing trail of clues to a stunning conclusion, Issa and Rowan discover how little they really know each other… and stumble upon a maddening attraction that becomes harder to ignore by the day.
My review
This is the second book in the Witches of Thistle Grove Series. I started this almost immediately after finishing Payback’s a Witch (you can read my review here). It was hinted in Payback’s a Witch that there was some bad blood and tension between Isidora and Rowan, but honestly it’s just a hint. I had thought it was some sort of relationship gone wrong. Oh just how wrong I was.
Isidora is an Avramov, can you really call her a wild child when they are all a little wild? She has always modeled herself after her mother and she helps run the haunted house. She designs the costumes and then she and her cousin build the story around those designs. Not only is she an animal lover, but she is also very passionate about sustainability, because what dark sorceress isn’t?
Rowan is the hot veterinarian and all around good, green magic Thorn. He and Issa hate each other. He fired her from volunteering at the animal clinic, she hexed him with evil squirrels. There is a lot of mutual distrust. Plus he’s a Thorn and she’s an Avramov. He is light magic and she is dark. When they team up to figure out who has been targeting Thorn’s they finally peel back the basics and learn that there is a lot more to the other person.
I really enjoyed the mystery of who was cursing the Thorns and how this dynamic duo teamed up to solve it. Part of the fun was meeting new characters and learning more about the town of Thistle Grove. This book also deepened the lore and explained more of the magic that both the Avramovs and the Thorns have. I am always excited to dive into a magic system and this book gave us the opportunity.
Additionally, there was a vulnerability around both characters in realizing that their preconceived notions about the other’s family and magic were not quite correct. I particularly loved Issa’s interactions with the Thorns as she realized that the warmth and happiness that they have is every bit as comforting as the creepy but ridiculously close and spontaneous family that she has.
I raved about the setting in my last review, so I don’t want to spend too long dwelling on it. However I am still enthralled with this town. There are secret hot springs under the Thorns farm and they have made them into a series of Roman bath style locales. The scene was pretty steamy (pun intended) but the description of the location was beautiful. I felt extremely jealous I myself was not there.
Something I like about series like this is that we also get a peak at the previous couple and how they are faring. It was nice to see Emmy and Talia again. We spend some time with both of them but particularly Talia since she is Issa’s sister. Seeing that relationship more was beautiful and made me miss my family. There is something about sisters (sestras) hanging out in the kitchen and sharing stories over a meal that just makes me want to be at a table with my mom, aunts and grandmothers.
The second entry in the Thistle Grove series was as good as the last. It only cemented my belief that I should be living in Thistle Grove.
