Review by Kelly Jarvis: Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things by Breanne Randall

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things begins “on a summer day ripe with dreams and mischief,” introducing readers to a trio of magical sisters, Thalia, Eurydice, and Calliope, who have been abandoned by their mother. Ten-year-old Calliope finds a Grimoire that whispers of forbidden magic, and by the time chapter one begins fifteen years later, the Grimoire has become Grim, a sentient friend. The three sisters are Lightcraft Witches who have been warned away from magic because it costs them their memories, but Calliope, still reeling from the loss of her mother and the breaking of her heart, risks losing memories in order to perform simple spells. When the sisters’ magic begins to fade entirely, Calliope accidentally binds herself to a tall, dark, and handsome Shadowcaster, and together, they must navigate their passionate rivalry as they discover family secrets to protect the town.

This book is a cozy, witchy, romantic escape from everyday life with a sweet look at the relationship between three sisters. The talking Grimoire reminded me of other endearing objects turned into characters in books like Howl’s Moving Castle and The Spell Shop, lending a particular strain of cozy enchantment to the narrative. Although there is some spice in the budding relationship between the dark and light witches bound to one another, and although the message of the novel is about finding balance in a complicated world, Randall’s prose oozes with comforting details. The sisters own a tea and book shop called Tea and Tome, and the back of the book is filled with recipes for the items they serve: Mnimi Soup with Crusty Cottage Bread and Honey Butter, Sage and Brown Butter Gnocchi, Apple Cinnamon Melomakarona Cookies, and Orange Fairy Tea Cakes. There are even drinks like Witches’ Wisdom Tea and Moonlight Elixir Cocktail. These details help create a comforting atmosphere that can keep the magic flowing once the story is complete.

If you are looking for a lovely distraction from the real world and a sweet exploration of the magic of memory, give Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things a try. You can find it here.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.

Kelly Jarvis is the Contributing Writer for The Fairy Tale Magazine. Her work has also been featured in A Moon of One’s Own, Baseball Bard, Blue Heron Review, Corvid Queen, Eternal Haunted Summer, Forget Me Not Press, Mermaids Monthly, The Chamber Magazine, The Magic of Us, and the World Weaver Press Anthology Mothers of Enchantment: New Tales of Fairy Godmothers. Her first novella, Selkie Moon, comes out in 2025. You can connect with her on Facebook (Kelly Jarvis, Author) or Instagram (@kellyjarviswriter) or find her at https://kellyjarviswriter.com/