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A Spell for Saints and Sinners
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Expected 31 Mar 26Like a gender-flipped You but dripping with Southern Gothic atmosphere, a young psychic on the verge of losing everything becomes obsessed with a wealthy, beautiful heiress in this clever, darkly atmospheric novel of psychological suspense set amid the lush, moss-draped beauty of Savannah.
In front of an elegantly shabby townhouse on a Savannah side street sits a hand-painted Miss Edie, Psychic. Ingrid White inherited the house and business from her beloved grandmother, a local celebrity in town. But unless Ingrid can find a way to pay for crushing property taxes and mounting repairs, she’s going to lose them both.
Ingrid has faith in the homespun witchcraft Edie passed down to her, yet hope and clients are dwindling. . . . Until Sailor Loeffler’s bachelorette party changes everything. Sailor is local royalty—part of the vast “Savannah Sauce” empire, beautiful and wealthy beyond imagining—and Ingrid’s reading is so accurate that she becomes the bride-to-be’s confidante. To keep that access and all the privileges it brings, Ingrid relies more and more on hexes and dark spells—using the baneful magic Edie always warned her against.
As Ingrid works even riskier spells, she is drawn further into the Loefflers’ inner circle and the obstacles in her path melt away. But is it witchcraft or other, more earthbound forces? Ingrid can feel the lines blurring even as her powers seem to grow, until she must confront the truth about just how far some people, including herself, will go to keep the life they’ve always wanted . . .
In front of an elegantly shabby townhouse on a Savannah side street sits a hand-painted Miss Edie, Psychic. Ingrid White inherited the house and business from her beloved grandmother, a local celebrity in town. But unless Ingrid can find a way to pay for crushing property taxes and mounting repairs, she’s going to lose them both.
Ingrid has faith in the homespun witchcraft Edie passed down to her, yet hope and clients are dwindling. . . . Until Sailor Loeffler’s bachelorette party changes everything. Sailor is local royalty—part of the vast “Savannah Sauce” empire, beautiful and wealthy beyond imagining—and Ingrid’s reading is so accurate that she becomes the bride-to-be’s confidante. To keep that access and all the privileges it brings, Ingrid relies more and more on hexes and dark spells—using the baneful magic Edie always warned her against.
As Ingrid works even riskier spells, she is drawn further into the Loefflers’ inner circle and the obstacles in her path melt away. But is it witchcraft or other, more earthbound forces? Ingrid can feel the lines blurring even as her powers seem to grow, until she must confront the truth about just how far some people, including herself, will go to keep the life they’ve always wanted . . .
288 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 31, 2026
8 people are currently reading
332 people want to read
About the author
Emily Carpenter
18 books1,223 followersEMILY CARPENTER BIO:
Emily Carpenter is the critically acclaimed, Amazon bestselling author of suspense novels, Burying the Honeysuckle Girls, The Weight of Lies (which received starred reviews by both Kirkus and Publishers Weekly), Every Single Secret, Until the Day I Die, all released by Lake Union. Her most recent release is REVIVING THE HAWTHORN SISTERS, which Publishers Weekly called a “refreshingly modern gothic tale” and Kirkus called “an exciting, gothic-tinged quest.” After graduating from Auburn with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication, she moved to New York City. She’s worked as an actor, producer, screenwriter, and behind-the-scenes soap opera assistant for the CBS shows, As the World Turns and Guiding Light. She’s a member of Tall Poppy Writers, International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime. Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, she now lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her family. You can visit Emily at emilycarpenterauthor.com and on Facebook and Twitter (@EmilyDCarpenter) and Instagram (@emily.d.c).
Emily Carpenter is the critically acclaimed, Amazon bestselling author of suspense novels, Burying the Honeysuckle Girls, The Weight of Lies (which received starred reviews by both Kirkus and Publishers Weekly), Every Single Secret, Until the Day I Die, all released by Lake Union. Her most recent release is REVIVING THE HAWTHORN SISTERS, which Publishers Weekly called a “refreshingly modern gothic tale” and Kirkus called “an exciting, gothic-tinged quest.” After graduating from Auburn with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication, she moved to New York City. She’s worked as an actor, producer, screenwriter, and behind-the-scenes soap opera assistant for the CBS shows, As the World Turns and Guiding Light. She’s a member of Tall Poppy Writers, International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime. Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, she now lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her family. You can visit Emily at emilycarpenterauthor.com and on Facebook and Twitter (@EmilyDCarpenter) and Instagram (@emily.d.c).
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December 25, 2025HOLY SHIT MY FAVORITE AUTHOR IS WRITING A NEW BOOK
November 11, 2025
A Spell for Saints and Sinners drops you straight into the damp, haunted streets of Savannah. Here’s Ingrid White, a young psychic clinging to her grandmother’s crumbling shop, her reputation hanging by a thread. Things shift when Sailor Loeffler walks in, a rich heiress with deep local roots, and suddenly Ingrid’s world gets messier. She’s caught between desperate hope and the dangerous magic she’s willing to risk. At its core, this is a story about survival versus morality, unspooling as a slow-burning thriller, thick with atmosphere. The story sometimes can’t untangle all its own threads, but that’s part of its charm.
Ingrid’s struggle stands out, especially when her beliefs crack under pressure. She’s ready to cross lines to keep what she loves, even as reality and magic blur together. Her connection with Sailor pulses at the heart of the novel, it’s both anchor and snare, obsession and dependency weaving together. The side characters bring color, though a few drift by without much depth, their motivations foggy, which can soften the emotional punch in spots.
The novel leans hard into themes of class, ambition, and power, all tangled up in that Southern Gothic setting. You feel the weight of old money, social divides, and personal sacrifice. Witchcraft here isn’t just spellwork; it’s a stand-in for the tough choices people make when they’re cornered. The mood hangs heavy, moss and tension everywhere, though sometimes the atmosphere takes over and the plot slows down, which might try the patience of readers who want a tighter, more propulsive story.
Emily Carpenter’s style is lush and poetic, painting Savannah in all its faded glory. She’ll pull you into quiet, intimate moments, then jolt you with sharp bursts of drama. The rhythm isn’t always even; sometimes the story lingers when you want it to move, but the language sticks with you. When it clicks, it’s immersive. When it stumbles, you wish for more focus, especially in the way Ingrid’s inner battles play out.
In the end, the book carves out its own spot in Southern Gothic suspense. Psychic powers, tangled family loyalties, a heroine wrestling with identity and power. The story doesn’t tie up every loose end, but it’s a moody, thought-provoking read for anyone who loves flawed characters and murky moral ground. Even when the narrative stretches itself thin, it’s clear Carpenter knows how to cast a spell.
Ingrid’s struggle stands out, especially when her beliefs crack under pressure. She’s ready to cross lines to keep what she loves, even as reality and magic blur together. Her connection with Sailor pulses at the heart of the novel, it’s both anchor and snare, obsession and dependency weaving together. The side characters bring color, though a few drift by without much depth, their motivations foggy, which can soften the emotional punch in spots.
The novel leans hard into themes of class, ambition, and power, all tangled up in that Southern Gothic setting. You feel the weight of old money, social divides, and personal sacrifice. Witchcraft here isn’t just spellwork; it’s a stand-in for the tough choices people make when they’re cornered. The mood hangs heavy, moss and tension everywhere, though sometimes the atmosphere takes over and the plot slows down, which might try the patience of readers who want a tighter, more propulsive story.
Emily Carpenter’s style is lush and poetic, painting Savannah in all its faded glory. She’ll pull you into quiet, intimate moments, then jolt you with sharp bursts of drama. The rhythm isn’t always even; sometimes the story lingers when you want it to move, but the language sticks with you. When it clicks, it’s immersive. When it stumbles, you wish for more focus, especially in the way Ingrid’s inner battles play out.
In the end, the book carves out its own spot in Southern Gothic suspense. Psychic powers, tangled family loyalties, a heroine wrestling with identity and power. The story doesn’t tie up every loose end, but it’s a moody, thought-provoking read for anyone who loves flawed characters and murky moral ground. Even when the narrative stretches itself thin, it’s clear Carpenter knows how to cast a spell.
December 9, 2025
Thank you to Kensington Publishing for an ARC in exchange for a review.
I'll start by saying that this book just wasn't for me. I went in expecting "gothic horror" - which is how the book is categorized on Goodreads - and didn't find a trace of horror at all. Savannah as a location in and of itself could be considered gothic, but it was very surface level and gave no sense of dread other than "there are ghost tours here." Sure, our MC is a witch, but besides others telling us she's really good at spells and getting feelings about people, it seems like her grandmother's ghost does most of the work and it's unreliable at best.
I think my biggest critique was plot and pacing. Plot points seemed tossed in to make the book longer rather than having anything to do with character motivations or common sense. I feel like one person can only make so many bad decisions before we start rooting against them, and that's what happened for me in this book with the MC. There was a level of immaturity to the MC too when it comes to actions and consequences, but I digress.
Character relationships were also very surface level. There was a lot of telling - "she's my best friend," or "she was evil" = but nothing reflected in the character's actions/dialogue to show the reader that was the case. It's one of my biggest pet peeves in books and it was delivered in spades here.
I really had to push through to reach the end, and even then the twist wasn't worth the effort, unfortunately.
I don't want to discourage others from reading this because I know some will enjoy it; just don't go in expecting "gothic horror" because that isn't what this book is, in my opinion.
I'll start by saying that this book just wasn't for me. I went in expecting "gothic horror" - which is how the book is categorized on Goodreads - and didn't find a trace of horror at all. Savannah as a location in and of itself could be considered gothic, but it was very surface level and gave no sense of dread other than "there are ghost tours here." Sure, our MC is a witch, but besides others telling us she's really good at spells and getting feelings about people, it seems like her grandmother's ghost does most of the work and it's unreliable at best.
I think my biggest critique was plot and pacing. Plot points seemed tossed in to make the book longer rather than having anything to do with character motivations or common sense. I feel like one person can only make so many bad decisions before we start rooting against them, and that's what happened for me in this book with the MC. There was a level of immaturity to the MC too when it comes to actions and consequences, but I digress.
Character relationships were also very surface level. There was a lot of telling - "she's my best friend," or "she was evil" = but nothing reflected in the character's actions/dialogue to show the reader that was the case. It's one of my biggest pet peeves in books and it was delivered in spades here.
I really had to push through to reach the end, and even then the twist wasn't worth the effort, unfortunately.
I don't want to discourage others from reading this because I know some will enjoy it; just don't go in expecting "gothic horror" because that isn't what this book is, in my opinion.
January 19, 2026
This southern gothic thriller delivers a slow-burn mystery with a moody, atmospheric setting. While the pacing is deliberate, there are several surprising twists and strong whodunit moments that kept my attention along the way.
I especially enjoyed the eerie atmosphere and sense of place, which added depth to the story. However, despite its intriguing elements, the book ultimately didn’t fully click for me. Fans of slower, atmospheric mysteries may appreciate it more than I did.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I especially enjoyed the eerie atmosphere and sense of place, which added depth to the story. However, despite its intriguing elements, the book ultimately didn’t fully click for me. Fans of slower, atmospheric mysteries may appreciate it more than I did.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Emily Carpenter’s “A Spell for Saints and Sinners” casts you into an evocative version of Savannah, which is humid, haunted, and brimming with secrets, where psychic Ingrid White is barely holding her life together. After inheriting her grandmother’s shop and legacy, Ingrid is desperate to preserve both her reputation and her roof. When a reading for wealthy heiress Sailor Loeffler opens the door to steady income, Ingrid grabs hold, even if it means wading into deeper, darker magic than she ever intended. What follows is a tale of ambition, class divides, and the messy moral choices made when survival and power begin to blur.
Carpenter writes Ingrid as a compellingly flawed protagonist; she is determined, lonely, and willing to cross lines in ways that both frustrate and fascinate. Her relationship with Sailor forms the story’s emotional center: part lifeline, part trap. Sailor’s lavish but rotten world contrasts sharply with Ingrid’s precarious reality, and their dynamic raises the stakes as favors turn into demands and magic becomes a currency Ingrid can’t quite control. Their connection often lands somewhere between dependence and obsession, giving the story its slow-burning tension.
Atmosphere is one of the story’s strongest spells. Carpenter paints Savannah with lush, sensory prose: crumbling storefronts, moss-choked cemeteries, dimly lit altar rooms where power and belief intersect. The supernatural elements are relatively restrained as they’re more like a flickering suggestion than full-blown horror, but I still found myself drawn in by the suspense. If you’re looking for an overt gothic terror, then you may feel underwhelmed, especially as the mounting dread comes more from social pressure and moral decay than specters or scares.
The pacing shifts throughout: the opening grips tightly, immersing you in Ingrid’s world and the eerie implications of her spellwork, but the middle sections wander as plot threads multiply and not all are fully resolved. Some character relationships feel told rather than shown, and secondary figures, particularly those outside the Ingrid–Sailor orbit, could have benefitted from more development. Still, the story delivers twists that genuinely surprise, even if the ending felt a bit abrupt.
What lingers after closing the book is less the magic itself and more what it represents: the choices we make when pushed to the brink, the way power seduces and corrodes, and the cost of wanting something, like security, love, belonging, badly enough to bargain with forces we barely understand.
Overall, “A Spell for Saints and Sinners” is a moody Southern Gothic thriller where psychic visions mix with class tensions and moral compromise. Though not as haunting as its setting might suggest, it offers an atmospheric, twisty exploration of ambition, desperation, and the shadows cast by privilege. This book is perfect for those who love flawed heroines, murky magic, and stories where the biggest mysteries aren’t always supernatural.
Emily Carpenter’s “A Spell for Saints and Sinners” casts you into an evocative version of Savannah, which is humid, haunted, and brimming with secrets, where psychic Ingrid White is barely holding her life together. After inheriting her grandmother’s shop and legacy, Ingrid is desperate to preserve both her reputation and her roof. When a reading for wealthy heiress Sailor Loeffler opens the door to steady income, Ingrid grabs hold, even if it means wading into deeper, darker magic than she ever intended. What follows is a tale of ambition, class divides, and the messy moral choices made when survival and power begin to blur.
Carpenter writes Ingrid as a compellingly flawed protagonist; she is determined, lonely, and willing to cross lines in ways that both frustrate and fascinate. Her relationship with Sailor forms the story’s emotional center: part lifeline, part trap. Sailor’s lavish but rotten world contrasts sharply with Ingrid’s precarious reality, and their dynamic raises the stakes as favors turn into demands and magic becomes a currency Ingrid can’t quite control. Their connection often lands somewhere between dependence and obsession, giving the story its slow-burning tension.
Atmosphere is one of the story’s strongest spells. Carpenter paints Savannah with lush, sensory prose: crumbling storefronts, moss-choked cemeteries, dimly lit altar rooms where power and belief intersect. The supernatural elements are relatively restrained as they’re more like a flickering suggestion than full-blown horror, but I still found myself drawn in by the suspense. If you’re looking for an overt gothic terror, then you may feel underwhelmed, especially as the mounting dread comes more from social pressure and moral decay than specters or scares.
The pacing shifts throughout: the opening grips tightly, immersing you in Ingrid’s world and the eerie implications of her spellwork, but the middle sections wander as plot threads multiply and not all are fully resolved. Some character relationships feel told rather than shown, and secondary figures, particularly those outside the Ingrid–Sailor orbit, could have benefitted from more development. Still, the story delivers twists that genuinely surprise, even if the ending felt a bit abrupt.
What lingers after closing the book is less the magic itself and more what it represents: the choices we make when pushed to the brink, the way power seduces and corrodes, and the cost of wanting something, like security, love, belonging, badly enough to bargain with forces we barely understand.
Overall, “A Spell for Saints and Sinners” is a moody Southern Gothic thriller where psychic visions mix with class tensions and moral compromise. Though not as haunting as its setting might suggest, it offers an atmospheric, twisty exploration of ambition, desperation, and the shadows cast by privilege. This book is perfect for those who love flawed heroines, murky magic, and stories where the biggest mysteries aren’t always supernatural.
November 1, 2025
A Spell for Saints and Sinners by Emily Carpenter is a psychological Southern Gothic about just how far one psychic is willing to go for money and friendship.
Ingrid White has inherited her grandmother’s psychic business after she passes away, leaving her with a cryptic message. Ingrid is struggling to make ends meet until a wealthy Savannah heiress, Sailor Loeffler receives a psychic reading and immediately hires Ingrid to be her personal fortune teller. Ingrid is financially desperate and willing to do Sailor’s bidding, even if it involves dark magic. As Ingrid becomes tangled in the seedy web of Sailor’s wealthy family, she discovers that her grandmother and the Loefflers have a shared past that comes back to haunt Ingrid with a vengeance.
I always enjoy a good psychic thriller, and this book definitely checked the box. I thought Ingrid was a strong complex character whose desperation for acceptance and money made her do some unethical things which made the stakes high in this story. Sailor’s dysfunctional family and privilege was a good contrast to Ingrid’s situation. There was always a feeling that something sinister was going on as the Loeffler’s were written with a lot of suspicion.
Despite the supernatural aspects being pretty tame, it was the thrilling backstabbing and whodunnit elements that pulled me into this story. I do think the ending could have been better and I almost wish there was something paranormal that was ultimately responsible. I also think some of the characters could have been explored a little more such as Cas and Edie. The twists genuinely shocked me and overall I think the author could have played up the spooky things of Savannah a bit more.
This book reminded me of the Netflix movie The Perfect Couple, but with a psychic element.
If you are a fan of mystery thrillers about the wealthy, and are looking for a supernatural twist, I would recommend A Spell for Saints and Sinners by Emily Carpenter.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Ingrid White has inherited her grandmother’s psychic business after she passes away, leaving her with a cryptic message. Ingrid is struggling to make ends meet until a wealthy Savannah heiress, Sailor Loeffler receives a psychic reading and immediately hires Ingrid to be her personal fortune teller. Ingrid is financially desperate and willing to do Sailor’s bidding, even if it involves dark magic. As Ingrid becomes tangled in the seedy web of Sailor’s wealthy family, she discovers that her grandmother and the Loefflers have a shared past that comes back to haunt Ingrid with a vengeance.
I always enjoy a good psychic thriller, and this book definitely checked the box. I thought Ingrid was a strong complex character whose desperation for acceptance and money made her do some unethical things which made the stakes high in this story. Sailor’s dysfunctional family and privilege was a good contrast to Ingrid’s situation. There was always a feeling that something sinister was going on as the Loeffler’s were written with a lot of suspicion.
Despite the supernatural aspects being pretty tame, it was the thrilling backstabbing and whodunnit elements that pulled me into this story. I do think the ending could have been better and I almost wish there was something paranormal that was ultimately responsible. I also think some of the characters could have been explored a little more such as Cas and Edie. The twists genuinely shocked me and overall I think the author could have played up the spooky things of Savannah a bit more.
This book reminded me of the Netflix movie The Perfect Couple, but with a psychic element.
If you are a fan of mystery thrillers about the wealthy, and are looking for a supernatural twist, I would recommend A Spell for Saints and Sinners by Emily Carpenter.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.
October 27, 2025
ingrid is a psychic witch struggling to make ends meet after her grandmother has passed away and left her the house. the reality of this is the house is paid off, yet she is still burdened by the taxes and repairs. to help with costs, she lets a friend in another similar circumstance move in with her and continues her grandmother’s palm reading service.
the first reading ingrid does with sailor (a girl from one of wealthiest savannah families) was magical. i felt as if i was in the room with them in the altar room. the atmosphere of this book is really unmatched and reading it felt as if i was watching a movie unfold.
sailor ends up hiring ingrid to be her personal psychic as she has a wedding coming up and everything must be perfect. ingrid channels her grandmother’s spirit doing spells and manifesting at her altar. at first as a reader you are skeptical-but then the spells start coming to fruition and you’re hooked into the story.
eventually there are accidents (and even murders) as the stakes rise for ingrid to please sailor. she finds out there are other forces at play to help with her spells and a plot twist i didn’t even imagine hits like a truck just as ingrid is about to make a life changing decision.
if you’re looking for a southern gothic atmosphere filled with magic and mystery, i wouldn’t hesitate to pick this up. thank you to netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the arc!
the first reading ingrid does with sailor (a girl from one of wealthiest savannah families) was magical. i felt as if i was in the room with them in the altar room. the atmosphere of this book is really unmatched and reading it felt as if i was watching a movie unfold.
sailor ends up hiring ingrid to be her personal psychic as she has a wedding coming up and everything must be perfect. ingrid channels her grandmother’s spirit doing spells and manifesting at her altar. at first as a reader you are skeptical-but then the spells start coming to fruition and you’re hooked into the story.
eventually there are accidents (and even murders) as the stakes rise for ingrid to please sailor. she finds out there are other forces at play to help with her spells and a plot twist i didn’t even imagine hits like a truck just as ingrid is about to make a life changing decision.
if you’re looking for a southern gothic atmosphere filled with magic and mystery, i wouldn’t hesitate to pick this up. thank you to netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A Spell for Saints and Sinners nails its Savannah setting: moss-draped streets, crumbling old money, that thick Gothic atmosphere that seeps into everything. Emily Carpenter clearly knows this city, and the mood she creates is the novel's strongest asset. The psychic shop, the haunted corners, the weight of Southern history, the references to "The Book" - it all works beautifully.
Unfortunately, the characters never matched the setting's depth. Ingrid White feels inconsistent, her choices shifting without clear motivation, and the side characters drift through scenes without much substance. The central relationship between Ingrid and Sailor should anchor the story, but neither woman develops, and both display erratic (and sometimes ridiculous) tendencies. Even more frustrating, the plot stretches credibility too far. The magical elements and thriller aspects don't quite mesh, leaving the story feeling unfocused.
Carpenter's writing is beautiful, but style can't fully compensate for characters who don't grow and a narrative that doesn't hold together. If you're drawn to Southern Gothic settings and can overlook underdeveloped characters and a meandering plot, there's something here. For me, though, the atmospheric spell wasn't quite enough.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, the characters never matched the setting's depth. Ingrid White feels inconsistent, her choices shifting without clear motivation, and the side characters drift through scenes without much substance. The central relationship between Ingrid and Sailor should anchor the story, but neither woman develops, and both display erratic (and sometimes ridiculous) tendencies. Even more frustrating, the plot stretches credibility too far. The magical elements and thriller aspects don't quite mesh, leaving the story feeling unfocused.
Carpenter's writing is beautiful, but style can't fully compensate for characters who don't grow and a narrative that doesn't hold together. If you're drawn to Southern Gothic settings and can overlook underdeveloped characters and a meandering plot, there's something here. For me, though, the atmospheric spell wasn't quite enough.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC.
Pub Date: Mar 31, 2026
A Spell For Saints And Sinners really took me by surprise in the sense that I had conflicting feelings regarding everything that was happening... and there were quite a few things.
Ingrid has lost her grandmother in a battle with cancer and now she is almost penniless, relying on Miles, her best friend to help with the house, the only thing she has left from her grandmother. Just when she thought there's not hope to make some money, here comes Sailor Loeffler into her home, for a reading. They hit it off and slowly life starts to get better for Ingrid.
The first 30% of the book felt pretty slow, average and uneventful and I was not sure exactly where's the drama and horror of the story. But then, at some point, it took an interesting turn and I was hooked! It got better when it became devious, suspensful and twisted, in a way that I didn't expected.
For me, Ingrid wasn't a pleasant character most of the time. It felt like she had multiple personalities, wanting to do good and help but also getting revenge and doing harm. By the end I didn't know what to feel for her, pity or anger.
Overall I enjoyed the story, it ended up being a good one because of the way it was written and the turns it took.
Pub Date: Mar 31, 2026
A Spell For Saints And Sinners really took me by surprise in the sense that I had conflicting feelings regarding everything that was happening... and there were quite a few things.
Ingrid has lost her grandmother in a battle with cancer and now she is almost penniless, relying on Miles, her best friend to help with the house, the only thing she has left from her grandmother. Just when she thought there's not hope to make some money, here comes Sailor Loeffler into her home, for a reading. They hit it off and slowly life starts to get better for Ingrid.
The first 30% of the book felt pretty slow, average and uneventful and I was not sure exactly where's the drama and horror of the story. But then, at some point, it took an interesting turn and I was hooked! It got better when it became devious, suspensful and twisted, in a way that I didn't expected.
For me, Ingrid wasn't a pleasant character most of the time. It felt like she had multiple personalities, wanting to do good and help but also getting revenge and doing harm. By the end I didn't know what to feel for her, pity or anger.
Overall I enjoyed the story, it ended up being a good one because of the way it was written and the turns it took.
December 1, 2025
‘Like a gender-flipped You but dripping with Southern Gothic atmosphere, a young psychic on the verge of losing everything becomes obsessed with a wealthy, beautiful heiress in this clever, darkly atmospheric novel of psychological suspense set amid the lush, moss-draped beauty of Savannah.’
Unfortunately, A spell for Saints and Sinners missed the mark for me. It read like a children’s book that just so happened to be centered solely around adults. Adults who were immature in a myriad of ways; their actions, their thoughts and oh man, the dialogue... the dialogue was so cringey and painful.
Overtly cheesy, convenient and trite.
As a whole, this one was just too jejune for my personal tastes.
Thanks to NG and Kensington for this arc in exchange for review. I am always grateful.
Pub: 3.31.2026.
Unfortunately, A spell for Saints and Sinners missed the mark for me. It read like a children’s book that just so happened to be centered solely around adults. Adults who were immature in a myriad of ways; their actions, their thoughts and oh man, the dialogue... the dialogue was so cringey and painful.
Overtly cheesy, convenient and trite.
As a whole, this one was just too jejune for my personal tastes.
Thanks to NG and Kensington for this arc in exchange for review. I am always grateful.
Pub: 3.31.2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Ingrid is a psychic witch who is struggling to keep her home after her grandmother passed away. When Sailor, the daughter of a wealthy family, comes in for a reading, Ingrid is drawn to her so strongly. After the reading, Sailor hires Ingrid to be her personal psychic because she wants everything to be perfect for her wedding. Things start to ramp up when accidents and even murder starts to happen when Ingrid tries to please Sailor. Ingrid must make a life changing decision toward the end of the book.
The book was decent, but I wasn't the intended audience. The beginning started out slow, but once the pacing caught up it was a pleasant read.
Ingrid is a psychic witch who is struggling to keep her home after her grandmother passed away. When Sailor, the daughter of a wealthy family, comes in for a reading, Ingrid is drawn to her so strongly. After the reading, Sailor hires Ingrid to be her personal psychic because she wants everything to be perfect for her wedding. Things start to ramp up when accidents and even murder starts to happen when Ingrid tries to please Sailor. Ingrid must make a life changing decision toward the end of the book.
The book was decent, but I wasn't the intended audience. The beginning started out slow, but once the pacing caught up it was a pleasant read.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
On the verge of losing her grandmother's home and psychic business Ingrid finds herself pulled into one of Savannah's royal families. When she takes on Sailor's bachelorette party and her psychic readings are spot on her world turns. Overnight her client list is full ,her immediate debts have been paid, she has become Sailor's good friend plus she is drawn to the mysterious son. Of course, old jealousies rear up, secrets threaten to be exposed and her old friends feel abandoned as Ingrid is dragged deeper and deeper into this dangerous web. There is a bit of witchy magic but more of it feels like a powerful portrait of old and new Savannah where ghosts and new wealth fight for attention. Not since MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL have we come this close to the true nature of Savannah - then and now. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
October 29, 2025
This one wasn’t for me. The atmosphere was impeccable, but the rest of it fell a little flat for me. I didn’t find myself poetically invested in the story, and the main character was a bit annoying to me. I liked Sailor a lot and honestly wish she was our main character instead.
I don’t know if it was my mood or what, but this book and I just didn’t mesh.
Thank you very much Kensington Books and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t know if it was my mood or what, but this book and I just didn’t mesh.
Thank you very much Kensington Books and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2025
3.25
setting: Georgia
rep: n/a
At first I was really vibing with this and thought it could even be a five star read as I was enjoying the style and characters, but then the story started flagging. apparently it's less than 300 pages but it felt like 400 or more - it took a while to get through, and I think the author tried to accomplish a bit too much. in the end several of the plot threads felt unfinished, and the actual ending was a letdown. I turned the page expecting more but it was over.
setting: Georgia
rep: n/a
At first I was really vibing with this and thought it could even be a five star read as I was enjoying the style and characters, but then the story started flagging. apparently it's less than 300 pages but it felt like 400 or more - it took a while to get through, and I think the author tried to accomplish a bit too much. in the end several of the plot threads felt unfinished, and the actual ending was a letdown. I turned the page expecting more but it was over.
December 9, 2025
In the blurb it mentions to be like a "You, with reversed roles", which got me very excited. But that couldn't be further from the truth. I'd say this is more of a southern backstabbing thriller. I did really adore the psychic and magic aspect of it. So even though not really what was advertised, I still enjoyed it.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
An enjoyable if not totally memorable read. I particularly loved the way Savannah is portrayed, somewhere i have always wanted to go (yes, partly because of THAT book).
There are many class issues here, the privileged elite (badly behaved as usual) vs the underdog, the struggling artists, musicians, soothsayers and witches.
There are many class issues here, the privileged elite (badly behaved as usual) vs the underdog, the struggling artists, musicians, soothsayers and witches.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was the first time I read a book from this author and omg it didn’t disappoint the plot was absolutely incredible and the characters were written so beautifully and the pace is amazing
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
This was WOW! WOW!! WOW!!! Page turner, spellbinding, exciting, and intriguing wrapped up through out the book!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thanks so much to Ms. Emily Carpenter for an ARC of this witchy book! I am obsessed with Savannah, GA, and so thoroughly enjoyed all the Savannah locations and references, especially the inclusion of real local haunts/bars/restaurants. This is a fun escapist journey through a haunted city, with a Gen Z witch/psychic, a cat (naturally), ratty ghost tour guides, rich elites, and family drama.
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