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Hex #1
Go Hex Yourself
It's one hex of an attraction in this romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Jessica Clare.
When Reggie Johnson answers a job ad in the paper, she's astonished to find that she's not applying to work at her favorite card game, Spellcraft: The Magicking. Instead, she's applying to be an actual familiar for an actual witch. As in, real magic.
The new job has a few perks - great room and board, excellent pay, and she's apprenticing to a powerful witch. Sure, the witch is a bit eccentric. And sure, there was that issue with the black cat Reggie would prefer to forget about. The biggest problem, however, is warlock Ben Magnus, her employer's nephew and the most arrogant, insufferable, maddening man to ever cast a spell.
Reggie absolutely hates him. He's handsome, but he's also bossy and irritating and orders her around. Ben's butt might look great in a crystal ball vision, but that's as far as it goes. But when someone with a vendetta targets the household, she finds herself working with Ben to break a deadly curse. Apparently, when they're not fighting like cats and dogs, things get downright...bewitching.
When Reggie Johnson answers a job ad in the paper, she's astonished to find that she's not applying to work at her favorite card game, Spellcraft: The Magicking. Instead, she's applying to be an actual familiar for an actual witch. As in, real magic.
The new job has a few perks - great room and board, excellent pay, and she's apprenticing to a powerful witch. Sure, the witch is a bit eccentric. And sure, there was that issue with the black cat Reggie would prefer to forget about. The biggest problem, however, is warlock Ben Magnus, her employer's nephew and the most arrogant, insufferable, maddening man to ever cast a spell.
Reggie absolutely hates him. He's handsome, but he's also bossy and irritating and orders her around. Ben's butt might look great in a crystal ball vision, but that's as far as it goes. But when someone with a vendetta targets the household, she finds herself working with Ben to break a deadly curse. Apparently, when they're not fighting like cats and dogs, things get downright...bewitching.
384 pages, Paperback
First published April 19, 2022
429 people are currently reading
34063 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Clare
64 books4,447 followersThis is a pen name for Jill Myles.
Jill Myles has been an incurable romantic since childhood. She reads all the 'naughty parts' of books first, looks for a dirty joke in just about everything, and thinks to this day that the Little House on the Prairie books should have been steamier.
After devouring hundreds of paperback romances, mythology books, and archaeological tomes, she decided to write a few books of her own - stories with a wild adventure, sharp banter, and lots of super-sexy situations. She prefers her heroes alpha and half-dressed, her heroines witty, and she loves nothing more than watching them overcome adversity to fall into bed together.
Jill Myles has been an incurable romantic since childhood. She reads all the 'naughty parts' of books first, looks for a dirty joke in just about everything, and thinks to this day that the Little House on the Prairie books should have been steamier.
After devouring hundreds of paperback romances, mythology books, and archaeological tomes, she decided to write a few books of her own - stories with a wild adventure, sharp banter, and lots of super-sexy situations. She prefers her heroes alpha and half-dressed, her heroines witty, and she loves nothing more than watching them overcome adversity to fall into bed together.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,720 reviews
October 27, 2021
PERFECT PERFECT PERFECT PERFECT EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK I MEAN ENEMIES TO LOVERS AND SO MUCH SEXUAL TENSION AND HE WANTS TO DO REALLY UNSPEAKABLE THINGS TO HER FRECKLES AND SHE'S A WITCH BUT SHE DOESN'T KNOW IT YET AND THERE IS A PERVY BLACK CAT AND THE MOST AMAZING MEDDLING AUNT AND IT'S GRUMPY/SUNSHINE AND OMGGGGG SO MUCH PINING I LOVE THIS BOOK I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS BOOK ALSO OMG THAT SCENE IN WITH REGGIE ACCIDENTALLY SEES BEN *COUGH COUGH* ATTENDING TO HIS NEEDS *COUGH COUGH* I AM ALIVE
Anyway: here is my adult review:
Go Hex Yourself is one of those books: the ones you read even though you should be getting ready for work; the ones you cannot help telling your friends about; the ones that make you giggle out loud on the bus; the ones that are so addictively charming, engaging, cinematic, you just cross your fingers and hope someone will turn them into a movie. And that’s because Go Hex Yourself is a romantic masterpiece, and the sexiest, most bewitching take on enemies to lovers I’ve read in ages. I want to live in the worlds Jessica Clare creates, and I cannot wait for her next book.
Anyway: here is my adult review:
Go Hex Yourself is one of those books: the ones you read even though you should be getting ready for work; the ones you cannot help telling your friends about; the ones that make you giggle out loud on the bus; the ones that are so addictively charming, engaging, cinematic, you just cross your fingers and hope someone will turn them into a movie. And that’s because Go Hex Yourself is a romantic masterpiece, and the sexiest, most bewitching take on enemies to lovers I’ve read in ages. I want to live in the worlds Jessica Clare creates, and I cannot wait for her next book.
November 14, 2022
Go Hex Yourself isn’t a romance novel. It’s a pornmance novel.
And it’s a shame because the story is super cute. The romantic leads are likable (for the most part; see fourth paragraph) and have great chemistry, and the plot is filled with fun, magical hijinks.
But the author uses way too many p* words and c* words. There’s also a ton of sexy talk, and the love scenes are very, VERY descriptive. Typically, I’m not one to shy away from heat, but geez Louise, it’s a bit much.
I listened to Go Hex Yourself on audio, and Holly Linneman’s voicing of Reggie is fantastic. Andrew Eiden’s performance of Ben, on the other hand, is overly dramatic. Instead of Ben coming across as an endearing, grumpy warlock, he seems evil and kinda sleazy. It’s not easy to like him.
I’m undecided as to whether I’ll move on to Book #2 in the series, What the Hex, set to be released in April 2023. We’ll see if the draw of more witchy magic overcomes my aversion to pornmance.
And it’s a shame because the story is super cute. The romantic leads are likable (for the most part; see fourth paragraph) and have great chemistry, and the plot is filled with fun, magical hijinks.
But the author uses way too many p* words and c* words. There’s also a ton of sexy talk, and the love scenes are very, VERY descriptive. Typically, I’m not one to shy away from heat, but geez Louise, it’s a bit much.
I listened to Go Hex Yourself on audio, and Holly Linneman’s voicing of Reggie is fantastic. Andrew Eiden’s performance of Ben, on the other hand, is overly dramatic. Instead of Ben coming across as an endearing, grumpy warlock, he seems evil and kinda sleazy. It’s not easy to like him.
I’m undecided as to whether I’ll move on to Book #2 in the series, What the Hex, set to be released in April 2023. We’ll see if the draw of more witchy magic overcomes my aversion to pornmance.
April 18, 2022
Go Hex Yourself by Jessica Clare is a paranormal romantic comedy novel with an enemies to lovers storyline. The story in Go Hex Yourself is one that is told by alternating the point of view between the two main characters giving both sides of the romance.
Reggie Johnson is in desperate need of a job when she finds an ad for an assistant position working with Spellcraft. Reggie adores the card game Spellcraft and is beyond excited to work for someone in the business so when the interview goes well Reggie can’t believe her luck, so what if her new boss is a little eccentric.
Reggie is just a tad taken aback when she figures out that her new employer doesn’t really work for Spellcraft the game but thinks that she’s a real witch that can cast spells. Reggie knows magic isn’t real and only hopes that the pay is good especially when she meets Ben Magnus, her bosses grouchy nephew who also claims to be a warlock.
Go Hex Yourself by Jessica Clare certainly was a funny one but also one that got rather steamy which I wasn’t totally expecting from the cover. Being an enemies to lovers trope I was thankful that I did end up liking both characters as sometimes that trope isn’t my favorite and I end up not wanting the relationship. I did also really enjoy the sort of bumbling by the lead as she stumbled into the paranormal world around her. The magic in the story was fun to learn about and fit well with the humorous style of the story too so overall this was a fun read.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Reggie Johnson is in desperate need of a job when she finds an ad for an assistant position working with Spellcraft. Reggie adores the card game Spellcraft and is beyond excited to work for someone in the business so when the interview goes well Reggie can’t believe her luck, so what if her new boss is a little eccentric.
Reggie is just a tad taken aback when she figures out that her new employer doesn’t really work for Spellcraft the game but thinks that she’s a real witch that can cast spells. Reggie knows magic isn’t real and only hopes that the pay is good especially when she meets Ben Magnus, her bosses grouchy nephew who also claims to be a warlock.
Go Hex Yourself by Jessica Clare certainly was a funny one but also one that got rather steamy which I wasn’t totally expecting from the cover. Being an enemies to lovers trope I was thankful that I did end up liking both characters as sometimes that trope isn’t my favorite and I end up not wanting the relationship. I did also really enjoy the sort of bumbling by the lead as she stumbled into the paranormal world around her. The magic in the story was fun to learn about and fit well with the humorous style of the story too so overall this was a fun read.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
June 17, 2022
Sometimes I guess I like to torture myself, I known this is going to be bad just by seeing cover but in reality it was much worse. You know when you have Ali Hazelwood's endorsement, that book is bad and it's about Adam Driver and Reylo because that's all she knows. Anyway just awful, I won't explain any further.
July 21, 2022
✨🍆Big purple cock🍆✨
Basically felt like the love hypothesis but with magic. If you didn’t like the “big & huge” thing there well good luck Charlie. You did get his POV tho so that’s different. And I did enjoy it a bit more than TLH because at least the relationship didn’t feel unethical to me. And I liked her friend and his special friend better than the group in TLH.
I think I would’ve given this 3.5⭐️and rounded up for Goodreads if the ending would’ve been more exciting but it just wasn’t.
I didn’t really like the male narrator and wish Reggie’s would’ve narrated the entire thing. His Reggie voice made her sound 12. And a big thing I noticed was that the Reggie we got in her head was so different than the one he was perceiving in his sections. She was so meek and clingy and tittering from his POV and I just didn’t buy it. Her parental situation was unique but I wasn’t a fan.
However, I was a very big fan of Reggie accidentally using the crystal ball while he was jacking off. The first half was pretty solid and I kinda tried to just vibe but ultimately I just cannot do that. Given that Adam Driver’s face is once again on the cover, I’m making the educated guess that this started as Reylo fan fic. The similarities to the character types in TLH are really quite jarring. No wonder Hazelwood blurbed it. Maybe she thought she wrote it during a tequila fueled bender a la Practical Magic.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5 🌶🌶🌶.25*/5
*The scenes were pretty hot but it took so long for them to actually fuck that I got bored by his inner monologue of “wow she’s so fucking brilliant I want to fuck her freckles.” I liked the dirty language and it was a nice addition to the book and kept me engaged. Some of Reggie’s lines felt off and unnatural but ce la vie. Show me the sex magic! And no I will not give you context to “big purple cock.”
I received a free physical copy from the publisher. All opinions are honest and my own.
Basically felt like the love hypothesis but with magic. If you didn’t like the “big & huge” thing there well good luck Charlie. You did get his POV tho so that’s different. And I did enjoy it a bit more than TLH because at least the relationship didn’t feel unethical to me. And I liked her friend and his special friend better than the group in TLH.
I think I would’ve given this 3.5⭐️and rounded up for Goodreads if the ending would’ve been more exciting but it just wasn’t.
I didn’t really like the male narrator and wish Reggie’s would’ve narrated the entire thing. His Reggie voice made her sound 12. And a big thing I noticed was that the Reggie we got in her head was so different than the one he was perceiving in his sections. She was so meek and clingy and tittering from his POV and I just didn’t buy it. Her parental situation was unique but I wasn’t a fan.
However, I was a very big fan of Reggie accidentally using the crystal ball while he was jacking off. The first half was pretty solid and I kinda tried to just vibe but ultimately I just cannot do that. Given that Adam Driver’s face is once again on the cover, I’m making the educated guess that this started as Reylo fan fic. The similarities to the character types in TLH are really quite jarring. No wonder Hazelwood blurbed it. Maybe she thought she wrote it during a tequila fueled bender a la Practical Magic.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5 🌶🌶🌶.25*/5
*The scenes were pretty hot but it took so long for them to actually fuck that I got bored by his inner monologue of “wow she’s so fucking brilliant I want to fuck her freckles.” I liked the dirty language and it was a nice addition to the book and kept me engaged. Some of Reggie’s lines felt off and unnatural but ce la vie. Show me the sex magic! And no I will not give you context to “big purple cock.”
I received a free physical copy from the publisher. All opinions are honest and my own.
February 25, 2024
The MC, referring to his big thing: I saw a lot of him in the crystal ball, but like in my rearview mirrors, objects are apparently larger than they appear.
Him: I don't care if the woman I'm lusting over is slightly traumatized right now, I still notice she's not wearing undergarments and my big thick cock stiffens and twitches (it happens 100 times per day so don’t worry, it's totally normal).
The book: All the romance novels describe a cock as velvet-wrapped steel, and they're not actually wrong.
Phlease. One word is enough for this book: TRASH 😂
I've been through a lot in my life, but this apparently is the book that makes my brain want to quit. I don't have anything to say about it that isn't offensive.
Reylo fans, are you okay?
Adam Driver, I'm so sorry, you don’t deserve this.
Him: I don't care if the woman I'm lusting over is slightly traumatized right now, I still notice she's not wearing undergarments and my big thick cock stiffens and twitches (it happens 100 times per day so don’t worry, it's totally normal).
The book: All the romance novels describe a cock as velvet-wrapped steel, and they're not actually wrong.
Phlease. One word is enough for this book: TRASH 😂
I've been through a lot in my life, but this apparently is the book that makes my brain want to quit. I don't have anything to say about it that isn't offensive.
Reylo fans, are you okay?
Adam Driver, I'm so sorry, you don’t deserve this.
May 29, 2022
What happens if you mix Harry Potter with Reylo fanfic (especially my beloved The Love Hypothesis)? This book happens, that’s what. And it’s so good… Grumpy-sunshine at its finest, ladies and gentlemen.
There’s some of everything; casting spells, turning people into cats, necklaces made of dried chicken legs, you name it. There’s also an incredibly hot (and obvs dark and brooding) warlock and a clueless, sweet girl who is thrown into the world of magic. And boy do these two click 💕!
I want more of this world!!
There’s some of everything; casting spells, turning people into cats, necklaces made of dried chicken legs, you name it. There’s also an incredibly hot (and obvs dark and brooding) warlock and a clueless, sweet girl who is thrown into the world of magic. And boy do these two click 💕!
I want more of this world!!
February 27, 2022
4.5 stars - Good lord how I love Jessica Clare & how she builds her romances! Even when I have critiques (in this case, I think the pacing was rather off), I often just have a good enough time that it covers over my overall impression of the book. I really liked this version of a witch/warlock magic setting, and I am a sucker for the way this author does a grump/sunshine trope. I also like that her characters are often kind of ordinary - even when there might be something extraordinary about them (e.g. a 500 year old warlock), they don't feel like they are Mary Sues who are just all powerful, overflowing with charisma, and insurmountably intelligent. A lot of her characters have various forms of social anxiety and are often a little bit dumb... not in a TSTL way, but more in the way that all of us are kind of dumb sometimes in our real lives. It makes her books that include OOT romance tropes feel kind of grounded, and I personally really like that.
Anyways, all that to say, I'm not sure this will be a 5 star for everyone, but for me... it just 100% hit the spot
Anyways, all that to say, I'm not sure this will be a 5 star for everyone, but for me... it just 100% hit the spot
August 4, 2022
I've enjoyed Jessica Clare before, but I've only ever read her contemporary/billionaire romances, so I was curious to see her take on a paranormal rom-com. I ended up having SO much fun reading this one (and I highly recommend the audiobook)!
Reggie answers an ad in the paper and instead of landing herself a job as an assistant at her favorite card game company, she’s working for real life witches and magicians. What’s hilarious is that she doesn’t believe her new boss is actually a witch, but stays with the crazy old lady because the pay is unbelievable. Then she meets her boss’s nephew Ben, and it's very much enemies to lovers between them. Ben and Reggie do NOT get along because he’s a dick and she, as a human, isn’t meant to be a part of this witch life. They are hilarious together and end up in so much craziness because of his aunt. The grumpy/sunshine dynamic was great and if you’re hoping for some steam in this book, you’re in luck! I never know the steam level I can expect with these illustrated covers but this one didn't disappoint.
I’m just so happy this one turned out well. It’s one of the better paranormal rom-coms I’ve read so far over the past year. It's silly, sweet, and very entertaining. I hope JC writes more!
Reggie answers an ad in the paper and instead of landing herself a job as an assistant at her favorite card game company, she’s working for real life witches and magicians. What’s hilarious is that she doesn’t believe her new boss is actually a witch, but stays with the crazy old lady because the pay is unbelievable. Then she meets her boss’s nephew Ben, and it's very much enemies to lovers between them. Ben and Reggie do NOT get along because he’s a dick and she, as a human, isn’t meant to be a part of this witch life. They are hilarious together and end up in so much craziness because of his aunt. The grumpy/sunshine dynamic was great and if you’re hoping for some steam in this book, you’re in luck! I never know the steam level I can expect with these illustrated covers but this one didn't disappoint.
I’m just so happy this one turned out well. It’s one of the better paranormal rom-coms I’ve read so far over the past year. It's silly, sweet, and very entertaining. I hope JC writes more!
May 1, 2022
I never DNF things because I’m too stubborn but I would rather die than continue reading Ben’s POV. That man can take a flying leap
wishlist
October 18, 2021The author of The Love Hypothesis said this had major reylo vibes. You don’t need to tell me twice.
April 22, 2023
Reggie’s freckles were mentioned by Ben CONSTANTLY, so her not having any on the cover is CRIMINAL.
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES
Regina “Reggie” Johnson (25) | Caliban “Ben” Magnus (510)
SUMMARY
Reggie’s new job as a witch’s familiar is turning out to be far weirder than she expected. To be fair, she didn’t think she’d be working for an actual witch. Despite its oddities, she likes the job fine enough—at a monthly salary of $25,000, it’d be hard not too. All would be perfect if it weren’t for her boss’s rude nephew, Ben.
Ben does not like his aunt’s new familiar. She knows nothing of magic, and her freckles are just so irritating. Despite his complaints and demands she be fired, his aunt just won’t listen.
Ben and Reggie become reluctant friends until Ben’s past forces them apart. Just as Reggie is ready to leave the magic world (and a cute warlock) behind, a pesky curse forces her and Ben to work together to break it.
Their attraction to each other would be so much easier to fight if only they weren’t forced to spend so much time together.
REVIEW
I really enjoyed the characters, especially Ben & Reggie. The relationship between them felt almost juvenile—in a “he wanted her gone, so he was a meanie head to her while having an obvious crush on her” type-of-way.
Reggie was a cheerful person, despite her upbringing. Her anxiety and extreme need for control was portrayed consistently and made her a more fully realized character than the others. Ben was less well-rounded, but I still loved him. His blushing? Cute. His inner monologue about Reggie? Even cuter. His lack of communication regarding his past? Less cute, kind of annoying.
Some other characters work in that they are lovable only because they are not real. The pervert cat (Maurice) is kind of surface level funny—the harder you think about him, the less charming he isso we just don’t think about it. Auntie Dru was another character I enjoyed reading about, but her insouciance and puppeteering frustrated me to no end. Her hijinks were endearing in a way only fictional characters can get away with.
The first time reading this, it was nothing but fun and vibes. Upon reread, I definitely noticed it dragging. The novelty of the magic system and drama of the curses wore off quickly. The romance was good, but its development wasn’t strong enough to withstand the length and repetition of the book this go-around.
Go Hex Yourself was a fun and cute story and exactly what it promised to be: a witchy romcom.
POV dual / first person
SPICE LEVEL 4 / 5
RATING 4 / 5
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES
Regina “Reggie” Johnson (25) | Caliban “Ben” Magnus (510)
SUMMARY
Reggie’s new job as a witch’s familiar is turning out to be far weirder than she expected. To be fair, she didn’t think she’d be working for an actual witch. Despite its oddities, she likes the job fine enough—at a monthly salary of $25,000, it’d be hard not too. All would be perfect if it weren’t for her boss’s rude nephew, Ben.
Ben does not like his aunt’s new familiar. She knows nothing of magic, and her freckles are just so irritating. Despite his complaints and demands she be fired, his aunt just won’t listen.
Ben and Reggie become reluctant friends until Ben’s past forces them apart. Just as Reggie is ready to leave the magic world (and a cute warlock) behind, a pesky curse forces her and Ben to work together to break it.
Their attraction to each other would be so much easier to fight if only they weren’t forced to spend so much time together.
REVIEW
I really enjoyed the characters, especially Ben & Reggie. The relationship between them felt almost juvenile—in a “he wanted her gone, so he was a meanie head to her while having an obvious crush on her” type-of-way.
Reggie was a cheerful person, despite her upbringing. Her anxiety and extreme need for control was portrayed consistently and made her a more fully realized character than the others. Ben was less well-rounded, but I still loved him. His blushing? Cute. His inner monologue about Reggie? Even cuter. His lack of communication regarding his past? Less cute, kind of annoying.
Some other characters work in that they are lovable only because they are not real. The pervert cat (Maurice) is kind of surface level funny—the harder you think about him, the less charming he is
The first time reading this, it was nothing but fun and vibes. Upon reread, I definitely noticed it dragging. The novelty of the magic system and drama of the curses wore off quickly. The romance was good, but its development wasn’t strong enough to withstand the length and repetition of the book this go-around.
Go Hex Yourself was a fun and cute story and exactly what it promised to be: a witchy romcom.
POV dual / first person
SPICE LEVEL 4 / 5
RATING 4 / 5
September 16, 2023
this was quite possibly one of the worst books i’ve ever read. good thing i kept a tally of all the worst parts of this book! get ready for the most SPOILER-Y REVIEW EVER WRITTEN. this goes through my notes from the entire book!
- blatant star wars fanfic. the kylo character is named BEN for pete’s sake, and the rey character has an R name
- finn (i will be referring to the characters as their star wars stand ins) sends a crotch shot poe sent him to rey?? is there no principles of consent?? does this woman not understand that gay men do not in fact have a tendency to breach privacy of their potential love interests in such a horrifying manner?
- kylo keeps a lock of hair of rey’s to use to spy on her. when he spies on her using magic he sees her in a position that looks like she’s about to masturbate and then is UPSET WHEN SHE DOESNT.
- the line “as the last remaining male of house magnus, isn’t it my job to be protective of my aunt” which is some patriarchal bullshit
- there is a character who is like a head in the magical world straight up named luke. i wish i was kidding
- if kylo talks about rey’s freckles ONE MORE TIME IM GONNA KILL A MAN
- kylo apparently knows about the crotch shot from poe on rey’s phone somehow?? he’s very much a stalker and i am not a fan
- we’re on page 64 and he’s taking off her shoes and lowkey undressing her / touching her face and shit while having a “protective mood” because she’s faint / about to pass out. keep in mind they haven’t had a pleasant interaction once so this man is touching someone romantically who he has not gotten along with
- POE’S NAME IS DIEGO. OH MY GOD
- it is page 84 and kylo just told rey that the “next time we meet? you’ll be on your knees, begging… for forgiveness”
- ^^ rey reacts to this by running away. spectacular
- finn is so horny on main it feels very uncomfy
- the line “i tried apologizing and he slapped me in the face (at least with words)” then he didn’t slap you in the face?? why would you say that??
- THEY JUST REVEALED YOU HAVE MAGIC IF YOU DESCEND FROM THE GODS AND SAID “yeah the descendants of jupiter are the ones with magic” SO DOES THAT MAKE KYLO, WHO HAS MAGIC, RELATED TO REY DISTANTLY???
- oh my god. oh my god rey just put on a ring and became a cat. i-
- kylo has a spell on his car that wards off speeding tickets so he goes absurdly fast. edward cullen who?
- oh god so you know the earlier scene where kylo wished he could watch rey jerk off?? now rey is ACTUALLY spying on kylo jerking off because of a crystal ball!
- ^^ she just told him she watched him and he said “did you like it” the fuck
- random two month time skip i guess?? where we’re told kylo and rey bonded i guess?? we get it you wanna get to the smut
- forgot to mention the cat that’s been cuddling up to rey all book actually was a familiar that got cursed. cool
- oh! we’re meeting a character called gwen who specializes in sex magic! love that the only oc in this book is a sex magic user
- they just had sex… in a well?? i’m not sure
- just got revealed very nonchalantly that kylo murdered his own parents. great?? i guess?? rey’s just like oh man that’s some trauma u good pal can we have more sex
- kylo really was like “it was necessary for the greater good” and rey was like okay yeah that tracks
- the aunt has now been cursed in a coma so ben has taken her over as his familiar and wears a bracelet to say this outright. kinky
- oh so now kylo is plotting the murder of whoever put a spell on the person i think?? is a leia stand in. great. very well adjusted romance hero
- in reference to the human turned cat we learn he “has his perverted moments, but he also really enjoys being a cat” and does not want to change back
- okay so uh. rey tried to tell finn about her sex life with kylo and finn was like “ew no i don’t wanna talk about that” AS IF HE HADNT BEEN HITTING HER WITH AGGRESSIVE PLAY BY PLAYS OF HIS SEX LIFE
- oh my god it was just revealed the leia (?) stand in cursed herself to get rey and kylo to date
- so leia (?) also used magic to find the “perfect person” for kylo and straight up hired rey only to get her to date him. losing my mind rn
- second to last chapter is a sex scene.
- think that the rose tico stand in just became the familiar of the hux stand in. not a fan
- it also ends with rey watching kylo bathe in the crystal ball. i think this woman has a voyeurism link
- blatant star wars fanfic. the kylo character is named BEN for pete’s sake, and the rey character has an R name
- finn (i will be referring to the characters as their star wars stand ins) sends a crotch shot poe sent him to rey?? is there no principles of consent?? does this woman not understand that gay men do not in fact have a tendency to breach privacy of their potential love interests in such a horrifying manner?
- kylo keeps a lock of hair of rey’s to use to spy on her. when he spies on her using magic he sees her in a position that looks like she’s about to masturbate and then is UPSET WHEN SHE DOESNT.
- the line “as the last remaining male of house magnus, isn’t it my job to be protective of my aunt” which is some patriarchal bullshit
- there is a character who is like a head in the magical world straight up named luke. i wish i was kidding
- if kylo talks about rey’s freckles ONE MORE TIME IM GONNA KILL A MAN
- kylo apparently knows about the crotch shot from poe on rey’s phone somehow?? he’s very much a stalker and i am not a fan
- we’re on page 64 and he’s taking off her shoes and lowkey undressing her / touching her face and shit while having a “protective mood” because she’s faint / about to pass out. keep in mind they haven’t had a pleasant interaction once so this man is touching someone romantically who he has not gotten along with
- POE’S NAME IS DIEGO. OH MY GOD
- it is page 84 and kylo just told rey that the “next time we meet? you’ll be on your knees, begging… for forgiveness”
- ^^ rey reacts to this by running away. spectacular
- finn is so horny on main it feels very uncomfy
- the line “i tried apologizing and he slapped me in the face (at least with words)” then he didn’t slap you in the face?? why would you say that??
- THEY JUST REVEALED YOU HAVE MAGIC IF YOU DESCEND FROM THE GODS AND SAID “yeah the descendants of jupiter are the ones with magic” SO DOES THAT MAKE KYLO, WHO HAS MAGIC, RELATED TO REY DISTANTLY???
- oh my god. oh my god rey just put on a ring and became a cat. i-
- kylo has a spell on his car that wards off speeding tickets so he goes absurdly fast. edward cullen who?
- oh god so you know the earlier scene where kylo wished he could watch rey jerk off?? now rey is ACTUALLY spying on kylo jerking off because of a crystal ball!
- ^^ she just told him she watched him and he said “did you like it” the fuck
- random two month time skip i guess?? where we’re told kylo and rey bonded i guess?? we get it you wanna get to the smut
- forgot to mention the cat that’s been cuddling up to rey all book actually was a familiar that got cursed. cool
- oh! we’re meeting a character called gwen who specializes in sex magic! love that the only oc in this book is a sex magic user
- they just had sex… in a well?? i’m not sure
- just got revealed very nonchalantly that kylo murdered his own parents. great?? i guess?? rey’s just like oh man that’s some trauma u good pal can we have more sex
- kylo really was like “it was necessary for the greater good” and rey was like okay yeah that tracks
- the aunt has now been cursed in a coma so ben has taken her over as his familiar and wears a bracelet to say this outright. kinky
- oh so now kylo is plotting the murder of whoever put a spell on the person i think?? is a leia stand in. great. very well adjusted romance hero
- in reference to the human turned cat we learn he “has his perverted moments, but he also really enjoys being a cat” and does not want to change back
- okay so uh. rey tried to tell finn about her sex life with kylo and finn was like “ew no i don’t wanna talk about that” AS IF HE HADNT BEEN HITTING HER WITH AGGRESSIVE PLAY BY PLAYS OF HIS SEX LIFE
- oh my god it was just revealed the leia (?) stand in cursed herself to get rey and kylo to date
- so leia (?) also used magic to find the “perfect person” for kylo and straight up hired rey only to get her to date him. losing my mind rn
- second to last chapter is a sex scene.
- think that the rose tico stand in just became the familiar of the hux stand in. not a fan
- it also ends with rey watching kylo bathe in the crystal ball. i think this woman has a voyeurism link
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2022
i’m happy to announce that i’m joining a blog tour for go hex yourself by jessica clare! i really enjoyed this one and was pleasantly surprised by how much i enjoyed the world and romance! it’s a really unique book and i thought that the witchy elements were done really well and it stood out from others in it’s genre.
i thought that the most interesting part of this book was the magic world and different rules involved. i’ve never read a book quite like it and that kept me engaged the entire time. i also really liked the romance between the two main characters, reggie and ben. it was the perfect mix of some of my favorite tropes - enemies-to-lovers and sunshine vs. grump for example. when reggie starts to realize what her new job working for aunt dru, a powerful sorceress, truly entails, she enlists ben’s help to try and stay safe.
reggie and ben go together so well and i thought that reggie was a fun main character that was easy to root for. ben was also great and definitely one of my favorite book love interests. their relationship progressed in a realistic way and it was interesting seeing how reggie started to get more involved in the magic world.
thank you so much berkley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! it’s funny, smart, and romantic and i recommend it to fans of witchy and romance books. it’s also out TODAY so be sure to go and pick up a copy if this sounds like something you’d enjoy! 🔮
i thought that the most interesting part of this book was the magic world and different rules involved. i’ve never read a book quite like it and that kept me engaged the entire time. i also really liked the romance between the two main characters, reggie and ben. it was the perfect mix of some of my favorite tropes - enemies-to-lovers and sunshine vs. grump for example. when reggie starts to realize what her new job working for aunt dru, a powerful sorceress, truly entails, she enlists ben’s help to try and stay safe.
reggie and ben go together so well and i thought that reggie was a fun main character that was easy to root for. ben was also great and definitely one of my favorite book love interests. their relationship progressed in a realistic way and it was interesting seeing how reggie started to get more involved in the magic world.
thank you so much berkley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! it’s funny, smart, and romantic and i recommend it to fans of witchy and romance books. it’s also out TODAY so be sure to go and pick up a copy if this sounds like something you’d enjoy! 🔮
April 5, 2022
Go Hex Yourself has a fun premise. A young woman answers a job ad in the newspaper that she thinks is for her favorite card game. Instead, it turns out to be for a familiar for a witch. Problem is, she doesn't believe in magic but needs the money.
This sounded fun. Grumpy/Sunshine, mortal getting sucked into the world of magic. .
It wasn't. For one, the characters are so incredibly flat. I didn't care for any of them because they didn't have any real depth. Which was odd because the main character especially had a lot of heavy past issues.
Content Warning: Her parents are financial abusers. They've done everything from open bank accounts in her name to take out a life insurance policy on her and then declare her dead.
That should have had the makings of a solid character but she was just so flat. And so is our love interest. Ben a 500 year old witch. Reggie is twenty-five and they don't get along at all at first. He's gruff and she can't stand it.
I didn't really care. Was he an absolute jerk? Yes, he wanted to get her fired. And she was willing to stick it out because, as I said earlier, she needs the job.
I can get behind enemies to lovers. Unfortunately there was a moment early on that absolutely made me disgusted. So spoiler warning: Ben is using a crystal ball to scry on Reggie and sees her in her room moving with her hands under the blankets. He wonders if he's caught her in an "intimate" moment and then has to remind himself that porn exists and he doesn't need to snoop.
Yeah, that's disgusting. There's a similar situation where Reggie does the same and actually does catch Ben in an intimate moment and instead of instantly turning away, she watches. And then turns around when he's close to finishing because she thinks it would be worse to watch that than, y'know, the fact she'd been watching up to that point.
She does tell him and he asks if she enjoyed the view.
I couldn't get behind these characters. That's a gross violation of privacy and it was played off for flirting.
When it comes to the flatness of the characters, there's apparently a reason for that. This was apparently a Kylo Ren/ Rey fanfiction. In that light, the flatness makes sense. After all if you know who they're supposed to be then you can fill in the gaps.
So it's published fanfiction in the same style as 50 Shades but it's at least better than that. And if it's not and that's just a rumor, then there isn't an excuse for the flat characters. Although there never is.
I didn't care for the book. I didn't care for the flatness of the characters or their creepy "romantic" behavior. All in all, this was not a book for me nor one I'll be recommending.
I'm giving it 1 star for competent writing.
I received this Arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to them and the publisher.
This sounded fun. Grumpy/Sunshine, mortal getting sucked into the world of magic. .
It wasn't. For one, the characters are so incredibly flat. I didn't care for any of them because they didn't have any real depth. Which was odd because the main character especially had a lot of heavy past issues.
Content Warning: Her parents are financial abusers. They've done everything from open bank accounts in her name to take out a life insurance policy on her and then declare her dead.
That should have had the makings of a solid character but she was just so flat. And so is our love interest. Ben a 500 year old witch. Reggie is twenty-five and they don't get along at all at first. He's gruff and she can't stand it.
I didn't really care. Was he an absolute jerk? Yes, he wanted to get her fired. And she was willing to stick it out because, as I said earlier, she needs the job.
I can get behind enemies to lovers. Unfortunately there was a moment early on that absolutely made me disgusted. So spoiler warning: Ben is using a crystal ball to scry on Reggie and sees her in her room moving with her hands under the blankets. He wonders if he's caught her in an "intimate" moment and then has to remind himself that porn exists and he doesn't need to snoop.
Yeah, that's disgusting. There's a similar situation where Reggie does the same and actually does catch Ben in an intimate moment and instead of instantly turning away, she watches. And then turns around when he's close to finishing because she thinks it would be worse to watch that than, y'know, the fact she'd been watching up to that point.
She does tell him and he asks if she enjoyed the view.
I couldn't get behind these characters. That's a gross violation of privacy and it was played off for flirting.
When it comes to the flatness of the characters, there's apparently a reason for that. This was apparently a Kylo Ren/ Rey fanfiction. In that light, the flatness makes sense. After all if you know who they're supposed to be then you can fill in the gaps.
So it's published fanfiction in the same style as 50 Shades but it's at least better than that. And if it's not and that's just a rumor, then there isn't an excuse for the flat characters. Although there never is.
I didn't care for the book. I didn't care for the flatness of the characters or their creepy "romantic" behavior. All in all, this was not a book for me nor one I'll be recommending.
I'm giving it 1 star for competent writing.
I received this Arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to them and the publisher.
September 11, 2024
3.5🌟
This was so cute ☺️
This was so cute ☺️
June 28, 2023
Yeah, this was garbage.
The main characters were so annoying. Reggie is a “control freak” and has ocd. I don’t see how she’s controlling at all but we do get endless descriptions of her tidying and organising stuff in this ancient house that nobody asked her to do and that only makes things harder for her employer. She can’t read the titles of these magical books but takes it upon herself to reorganise a 1000 year old library. Then she makes a mess and leaves. I found her reluctance to believe in magic annoying as well. It dragged on for too long when we knew that she would come around and discover she’s a witch herself anyway.
Ben, a 500 year old warlock, is a “grumpy” old man. “He’s really quite smart and lovely. He’s just lonely. He’s not good with people. Never has been. His parents are to blame for that.” He’s had 500 years to get over it?? He’s lonely because he’s not a good person. He acts like a child and has been straight up mean to Reggie since the start but she hears this and her heart just melts for the poor guy. I’m all for the hate to love trope but this is not it. He’s in a position of power, constantly threatens to fire her, watches her while she’s alone without her consent, feels disappointed when he sees she isn’t masturbating. Nothing about him is remotely charming.
For her part, she also watches him while he’s jerking off without him knowing but at least it wasn’t on purpose and she has the decency to come clean about it. All of this is passed off has a humorous situation which is also my issue with this book. The “funny” bits aren’t remotely funny. Her gay best friend sends her nudes that his boyfriend sent him and its only a mild annoyance to her. The cat, Maurice, is a human man trapped in a cat’s body who’s constantly rubbing up on her, following her around in the shower, sleeping in her bed and when she finds out she’s outraged for one second before he mollifies her by saying he told the cat to stay away from her. What a gentleman.
The only reason I kept reading this was because I wanted to see how much worse it could get. And it kept getting worse until the end.
The main characters were so annoying. Reggie is a “control freak” and has ocd. I don’t see how she’s controlling at all but we do get endless descriptions of her tidying and organising stuff in this ancient house that nobody asked her to do and that only makes things harder for her employer. She can’t read the titles of these magical books but takes it upon herself to reorganise a 1000 year old library. Then she makes a mess and leaves. I found her reluctance to believe in magic annoying as well. It dragged on for too long when we knew that she would come around and discover she’s a witch herself anyway.
Ben, a 500 year old warlock, is a “grumpy” old man. “He’s really quite smart and lovely. He’s just lonely. He’s not good with people. Never has been. His parents are to blame for that.” He’s had 500 years to get over it?? He’s lonely because he’s not a good person. He acts like a child and has been straight up mean to Reggie since the start but she hears this and her heart just melts for the poor guy. I’m all for the hate to love trope but this is not it. He’s in a position of power, constantly threatens to fire her, watches her while she’s alone without her consent, feels disappointed when he sees she isn’t masturbating. Nothing about him is remotely charming.
For her part, she also watches him while he’s jerking off without him knowing but at least it wasn’t on purpose and she has the decency to come clean about it. All of this is passed off has a humorous situation which is also my issue with this book. The “funny” bits aren’t remotely funny. Her gay best friend sends her nudes that his boyfriend sent him and its only a mild annoyance to her. The cat, Maurice, is a human man trapped in a cat’s body who’s constantly rubbing up on her, following her around in the shower, sleeping in her bed and when she finds out she’s outraged for one second before he mollifies her by saying he told the cat to stay away from her. What a gentleman.
The only reason I kept reading this was because I wanted to see how much worse it could get. And it kept getting worse until the end.
May 22, 2022
Such a fun enemies to lovers slow burn romance!
August 30, 2024
I'm sucker for witches and witchcraft, so this book was a must have on my reading list. I absolutely loved every minute of it, I deeply loved the characters and found that once I really got into it I found it hard to put it down. I only give it a 4 stars because as much as I did love it I wish I could see more of Ben and Reggies relationship.
Edit: it's now a 5 star because I got to see more of their relationship in the second book with their friends Willem and Penny. Though the second book focuses mostly on Willem and Penny, Reggie and Ben are also in it quite a bit.
Edit: it's now a 5 star because I got to see more of their relationship in the second book with their friends Willem and Penny. Though the second book focuses mostly on Willem and Penny, Reggie and Ben are also in it quite a bit.
June 1, 2022
This was such a quirky and unique romance! I really loved the world and magic set up (though I do wish it would have been explored in greater detail). I thought the premise for the novel was a lot of fun and I was hooked into the story right away.
Things to look forward to:
- grumpy + sunshine, forced proximity/roommates, age gap, enemies to friends to lovers
- Ben was such a grouchy cinnamon roll hero. He was so gone for Reggie and I loved how they complemented each other, but also accepted the other exactly as they were.
- spicy, spicy times (the well!), with a touch of voyeurism
- hilarious secondary characters (himbo Nick was a lot of fun) and shenanigans
- I appreciated that there wasn't a ton of drama in this one, especially between the main characters. There was enough happening in each of their lives/pasts, and I liked that there wasn't some silly misunderstanding or unnecessary drama thrown in.
I both read and listened to Go Hex Yourself and Andrew Eiden and Holly Linneman were absolutely wonderful together! Holly Linneman is new to me, but she was the perfect Reggie. Her comedic timing hit the spot every time and she also delivered on the more emotional moments in the story. Definitely recommend enjoying this one on audio if possible.
Audiobook Review
Overall 4 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 3.5-4 stars
CW: housing and financial insecurity (mainly in the past, but it leads to obsessive cleaning and ordering to create stability/control), death of parents (past), toxic relationship with parents and parental abandonment, mention of suicide (past, side character), implied previous physically abusive relationship, murder (past), knives/cutting, blood
*I voluntarily read and listened to a review copy of this book*
Things to look forward to:
- grumpy + sunshine, forced proximity/roommates, age gap, enemies to friends to lovers
- Ben was such a grouchy cinnamon roll hero. He was so gone for Reggie and I loved how they complemented each other, but also accepted the other exactly as they were.
- spicy, spicy times (the well!), with a touch of voyeurism
- hilarious secondary characters (himbo Nick was a lot of fun) and shenanigans
- I appreciated that there wasn't a ton of drama in this one, especially between the main characters. There was enough happening in each of their lives/pasts, and I liked that there wasn't some silly misunderstanding or unnecessary drama thrown in.
I both read and listened to Go Hex Yourself and Andrew Eiden and Holly Linneman were absolutely wonderful together! Holly Linneman is new to me, but she was the perfect Reggie. Her comedic timing hit the spot every time and she also delivered on the more emotional moments in the story. Definitely recommend enjoying this one on audio if possible.
Audiobook Review
Overall 4 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 3.5-4 stars
CW: housing and financial insecurity (mainly in the past, but it leads to obsessive cleaning and ordering to create stability/control), death of parents (past), toxic relationship with parents and parental abandonment, mention of suicide (past, side character), implied previous physically abusive relationship, murder (past), knives/cutting, blood
*I voluntarily read and listened to a review copy of this book*
September 29, 2022
Cute, light-hearted, and surprisingly touching in parts—which shouldn’t surprise me, since Jessica Clare’s cowboy series had good emotional centers, too. I liked the majority of his POV, though occasionally it felt a little off for a 500-year-old warlock? They both work together overall though, and I also enjoyed the naughty peeping-Tom cat (who is a little bit like a silent, pervy Salem from the OG Sabrina, the Teenaged Witch). Fun stuff, perfect for the season.
October 26, 2022
the fanfic to published book pipeline needs to be destroyed.
April 17, 2024
I thought this book was fine but I didn’t love the FMC. She was really set in her ways and just had massive amounts of baggage that made this “fun read” feel like a drag at times. I did enjoy the ending or else it would have been rated worst.
October 10, 2022
3.75⭐️ This book gave me all the feels.
As part of my 2022 Halloween reads, I picked up this book because it looked right up my alley, and exactly what I wanted for spooky season - and it really did not disappoint. Go Hex Yourself is funny, a bit kooky-crazy, sad, angsty, and sweet at times, and just incredibly entertaining all around.
It has the found family trope, which is one of my personal favs, but it’s depicted in the most heart-breaking way, because it’s just realistic. It has very little miscommunication, which I loved, and although Reggie is not my favourite book heroine ever, I do enjoy reading about flawed people who own their flaws and understand them without trying to change. Same goes for Ben, although I really, really did enjoy Ben as the hero. There’s a bit of an enemies to lovers, but he only hates her because he finds her too beautiful to be so unqualified – after getting to know her, though, he’s so obsessed with her, so sure in his feelings and his love for her that is just *chef's kiss*.
I wish we could've seen a bigger epilogue, maybe further into the future, but I really enjoyed the ending nonetheless.
3.75 / 5 ⭐️
PS: I forgot to say, but the Ben in this cover has NOTHING on the Ben that's described in the book - the one in the cover has short, kind of trendy hair and he's wearing a BLUE sweatshirt... Like what!? Caliban Magnus would never.
As part of my 2022 Halloween reads, I picked up this book because it looked right up my alley, and exactly what I wanted for spooky season - and it really did not disappoint. Go Hex Yourself is funny, a bit kooky-crazy, sad, angsty, and sweet at times, and just incredibly entertaining all around.
It has the found family trope, which is one of my personal favs, but it’s depicted in the most heart-breaking way, because it’s just realistic. It has very little miscommunication, which I loved, and although Reggie is not my favourite book heroine ever, I do enjoy reading about flawed people who own their flaws and understand them without trying to change. Same goes for Ben, although I really, really did enjoy Ben as the hero. There’s a bit of an enemies to lovers, but he only hates her because he finds her too beautiful to be so unqualified – after getting to know her, though, he’s so obsessed with her, so sure in his feelings and his love for her that is just *chef's kiss*.
I wish we could've seen a bigger epilogue, maybe further into the future, but I really enjoyed the ending nonetheless.
3.75 / 5 ⭐️
PS: I forgot to say, but the Ben in this cover has NOTHING on the Ben that's described in the book - the one in the cover has short, kind of trendy hair and he's wearing a BLUE sweatshirt... Like what!? Caliban Magnus would never.
Want to read
December 28, 2021if there is one thing i can do, it is spot a published reylo fanfic a mile away!
send me the preorder link, lads 🤠
(& if it's not a published reylo fic, sending flowers to the author for the last name johnson and a nephew named ben. you knew what you were doing!)
send me the preorder link, lads 🤠
(& if it's not a published reylo fic, sending flowers to the author for the last name johnson and a nephew named ben. you knew what you were doing!)
August 15, 2022
Reylos don’t deserve human rights
For this immortal phrase, an accurate and necessary assessment of the state of affairs in publishing today, I must credit a brilliant 1-star reviewer of The Love Hypothesis.
My absolute disdain for what reading this, for lack of a better word, book has done to me prevents me from being as succinct as they were.
Before we even get into the published fanfic of it all – the cover. I live for the day one of these creeps gets sued for using the faces of Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley on their published fanfics. They did nothing wrong, expect star in some bad movies that garnered them a fanbase of people who don’t understand the first thing about decency and propriety. Hint, it’s a little gauche to plaster the face of a famous actor on the cover for your self-insert fantasy about watching him masturbate in the shower and letting him eat you from behind.
Moving on. Nothing happens in this fanfic. Rey stumbles into a job – which turns out to be wearing a slave cuff for a wizard and being used as cattle (energy sources for their spellcasting). The author thinks confusing a clay spell tablet with a modern day tablet is charming and hilarious, to the point that the ‘joke’ is repeated about eight different times. I am not sure exactly when ‘wacky quirkiness’ becomes a mental deficiency, but about seven times in, I start to suspect the line might be behind us. Adam Driver, I mean Kylo Ren, I mean Ben Big Dick, I mean Ben Magnus, is a big old meanie jerk. Know how I know this? Everyone told me. His aunt Leia told me, her old assistant told me, Rey told me, the useless cat that appears whenever the author remembers there’s a cat in this fanfic told me, Sebastian jumped out of the pond with a chorus of singing frogs and told me… What’s that? Do we actually ever witness him being a mean old meanie grumpy grumps? Course not, don’t be silly. We’ve been told and that is so much better. Tell, don’t show. Besides, did I mention it’s Adam Driver and he’s wearing a black sweater? You know, the good boy Ben Solo sweater®. That’s all you really need as far as characterization goes. That and his huge hugeness that huges around.
Rey has an obligatory gay roommate who shows up when he needs to move the ‘plot’ along – you know how all your real life friends only live to facilitate hookups and wacky misunderstandings? Yeah, just like that. Leia lives only to get Ben’s dick wet, which is another brilliant aspect of this masterpiece. There is no magic system, no world building, no events really. We just follow these cardboard cutouts around kitchens and bedrooms and get notifications on the status of their genitalia. Which brings me to…
We get Adam Driver’s POV as well as Rey’s. It’s funny how a 500-year-od warlock sounds exactly like a 25-year-old girl who sounds exactly like your middle-aged aunt who gets all her cool hip sass from Minions memes on Facebook and witticisms on Twitter. Adam’s chapters only serve to update us on how high up the mast his cock is. Sees a freckle, half mast. She sings off-key, a mere twitch of the cock. She’s naked in his car, afraid for her life because she’s just been transformed into a cat and chased by a dog and almost killed – he’s straining out of his pants, you guys! I was so grateful to be told this crucial information because I, like all of you, wonder exactly hard and wet everyone who comes into contact with me is at all times. Finally, a book for me. And if you got the ick that Adam Driver is super turned on when a terrified naked woman is shaking and disassociating in his car, don’t. It’s totally hot and super duper romantic. My brain hurts, I have to move on from this.
The characters are absolute cardboard cutouts. Nobody has any personality at all. Yes, you are told Rey is an obnoxious compulsive cleaner who gets fired from jobs because her OCD is Harvey Weinstein-level bad at taking no for an answer, which is very admirable and quirky. Adam Driver is a mean old meanie, which we established before, and with that in mind, he, of course, shows nothing but restraint, cool headedness, introspection… And don’t get me wrong, it’s all written as if by a 13-year-old, but it’s utterly at odds with how everyone perceives him, himself included. The characters also completely contradict what little is established of their world and desires, and make utterly unmotivated and counter-productive decisions (that, naturally, never backfire). For example? Rey, a completely untrained witch/apprentice/human battery, walks into a gathering of witches and warlocks and has a, dare I say, Kylo Ren-esque sort of meltdown when one of the millennia-old, extremely powerful warlocks calls him out on his perceived misdeeds. An inevitable occurrence, which both Adam Driver and author self-insert were completely aware would take place. At an event they are attending in order to save Leia from a spooky scary Sleeping Beauty curse. So what’s the best way to get people on your side? Talk unprompted about how you’re dating Adam Driver because he fingered you down a well and call much more powerful people than you beta cucks. Because you’re an empowered female! I don’t know about you, but I certainly feel uplifted. Then hours later, steal a scene from Cassandra Clare (thank you to my bestie, who has been listening to me rant about this book while I was subjecting myself to it and who happened to know exactly what book was ripped off to bring us this glorious scene) and run away from the lOvE oF yOuR lIfE because you were hangry. And if you think I am exaggerating any of this, I get how you would, but I assure you I am not.
Character consistency is also on point. The Adam Driver character rhapsodizes about how smart, cool, intimidating, impressive and powerful he is, smirks and struts around hugely, talks about how big and huge and enticing his cock is and how great he is at fingering and eating ass, and then we are treated to self-deprecating inner monologues, about how he is so ugly compared to Rey, a ‘tall, pale giant with dark hairy legs and a weird face.’ Because you know how centuries-old millionaires who are over six feet tall and built like a brick shithouse and have women swooning over them are super low on self-esteem? It’s an epidemic really. And it’s damned good writing! I could give you literally a hundred more examples, but then I would just be copying the entire fanfic here.
The resolution to the big mystery of who put Leia in eternal sleep is some of the most laughable, underwhelming offal I’ve ever endured. It is honestly so embarrassing it does not deserve to be discussed.
Some more random icks the fanfic gave me – the constant fetishistic mention of freckles, as spank-bank material and a target for a load of cum, among others. The off-putting and borderline p-word insistence on describing Rey’s very very small, non-existent breasts and her pebbled nipples being lapped at and tuned as if Adam Driver were the last survivor in a dystopian future and he just stumbled upon a radio. The constant repetition. Because the fanfic has no plot and no characters, there is naturally no tension. So the same bloodless bits of angst, that could be solved either by thinking about them for about a minute or asking a simple question, are brought up dozens and dozens and dozens of times. Is magic real or not? I’ve been shown that it is multiple times, but I just don’t know… I should leave this job… But I need the money. But I’m just not sure… For about a hundred and fifty pages. Is Adam Driver good or bad? He’s been nothing but nice to me and he fingered me that one time down that one well and I watched him jerk off in a crystal ball, but I just don’t know…He did kill his parents that one time, but that was just because they caused the Bubonic Plague (and no, this is not a joke). I just don’t know…. For another one hundred and fifty pages.
In conclusion, my lifespan has been reduced by about a decade after reading this fanfic, I feel my brain losing function and ultimately, I was left feeling really sad for anyone who produces and intentionally consumes stuff like this. Life is beautiful and full of amazing works of art. You only get a limited amount of time on Earth and you will inevitably miss so many wonders because there is simply not enough time for all of them. Even in fanfiction, even in the genre of romance, there is better than this and we all deserve better.
For this immortal phrase, an accurate and necessary assessment of the state of affairs in publishing today, I must credit a brilliant 1-star reviewer of The Love Hypothesis.
My absolute disdain for what reading this, for lack of a better word, book has done to me prevents me from being as succinct as they were.
Before we even get into the published fanfic of it all – the cover. I live for the day one of these creeps gets sued for using the faces of Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley on their published fanfics. They did nothing wrong, expect star in some bad movies that garnered them a fanbase of people who don’t understand the first thing about decency and propriety. Hint, it’s a little gauche to plaster the face of a famous actor on the cover for your self-insert fantasy about watching him masturbate in the shower and letting him eat you from behind.
Moving on. Nothing happens in this fanfic. Rey stumbles into a job – which turns out to be wearing a slave cuff for a wizard and being used as cattle (energy sources for their spellcasting). The author thinks confusing a clay spell tablet with a modern day tablet is charming and hilarious, to the point that the ‘joke’ is repeated about eight different times. I am not sure exactly when ‘wacky quirkiness’ becomes a mental deficiency, but about seven times in, I start to suspect the line might be behind us. Adam Driver, I mean Kylo Ren, I mean Ben Big Dick, I mean Ben Magnus, is a big old meanie jerk. Know how I know this? Everyone told me. His aunt Leia told me, her old assistant told me, Rey told me, the useless cat that appears whenever the author remembers there’s a cat in this fanfic told me, Sebastian jumped out of the pond with a chorus of singing frogs and told me… What’s that? Do we actually ever witness him being a mean old meanie grumpy grumps? Course not, don’t be silly. We’ve been told and that is so much better. Tell, don’t show. Besides, did I mention it’s Adam Driver and he’s wearing a black sweater? You know, the good boy Ben Solo sweater®. That’s all you really need as far as characterization goes. That and his huge hugeness that huges around.
Rey has an obligatory gay roommate who shows up when he needs to move the ‘plot’ along – you know how all your real life friends only live to facilitate hookups and wacky misunderstandings? Yeah, just like that. Leia lives only to get Ben’s dick wet, which is another brilliant aspect of this masterpiece. There is no magic system, no world building, no events really. We just follow these cardboard cutouts around kitchens and bedrooms and get notifications on the status of their genitalia. Which brings me to…
We get Adam Driver’s POV as well as Rey’s. It’s funny how a 500-year-od warlock sounds exactly like a 25-year-old girl who sounds exactly like your middle-aged aunt who gets all her cool hip sass from Minions memes on Facebook and witticisms on Twitter. Adam’s chapters only serve to update us on how high up the mast his cock is. Sees a freckle, half mast. She sings off-key, a mere twitch of the cock. She’s naked in his car, afraid for her life because she’s just been transformed into a cat and chased by a dog and almost killed – he’s straining out of his pants, you guys! I was so grateful to be told this crucial information because I, like all of you, wonder exactly hard and wet everyone who comes into contact with me is at all times. Finally, a book for me. And if you got the ick that Adam Driver is super turned on when a terrified naked woman is shaking and disassociating in his car, don’t. It’s totally hot and super duper romantic. My brain hurts, I have to move on from this.
The characters are absolute cardboard cutouts. Nobody has any personality at all. Yes, you are told Rey is an obnoxious compulsive cleaner who gets fired from jobs because her OCD is Harvey Weinstein-level bad at taking no for an answer, which is very admirable and quirky. Adam Driver is a mean old meanie, which we established before, and with that in mind, he, of course, shows nothing but restraint, cool headedness, introspection… And don’t get me wrong, it’s all written as if by a 13-year-old, but it’s utterly at odds with how everyone perceives him, himself included. The characters also completely contradict what little is established of their world and desires, and make utterly unmotivated and counter-productive decisions (that, naturally, never backfire). For example? Rey, a completely untrained witch/apprentice/human battery, walks into a gathering of witches and warlocks and has a, dare I say, Kylo Ren-esque sort of meltdown when one of the millennia-old, extremely powerful warlocks calls him out on his perceived misdeeds. An inevitable occurrence, which both Adam Driver and author self-insert were completely aware would take place. At an event they are attending in order to save Leia from a spooky scary Sleeping Beauty curse. So what’s the best way to get people on your side? Talk unprompted about how you’re dating Adam Driver because he fingered you down a well and call much more powerful people than you beta cucks. Because you’re an empowered female! I don’t know about you, but I certainly feel uplifted. Then hours later, steal a scene from Cassandra Clare (thank you to my bestie, who has been listening to me rant about this book while I was subjecting myself to it and who happened to know exactly what book was ripped off to bring us this glorious scene) and run away from the lOvE oF yOuR lIfE because you were hangry. And if you think I am exaggerating any of this, I get how you would, but I assure you I am not.
Character consistency is also on point. The Adam Driver character rhapsodizes about how smart, cool, intimidating, impressive and powerful he is, smirks and struts around hugely, talks about how big and huge and enticing his cock is and how great he is at fingering and eating ass, and then we are treated to self-deprecating inner monologues, about how he is so ugly compared to Rey, a ‘tall, pale giant with dark hairy legs and a weird face.’ Because you know how centuries-old millionaires who are over six feet tall and built like a brick shithouse and have women swooning over them are super low on self-esteem? It’s an epidemic really. And it’s damned good writing! I could give you literally a hundred more examples, but then I would just be copying the entire fanfic here.
The resolution to the big mystery of who put Leia in eternal sleep is some of the most laughable, underwhelming offal I’ve ever endured. It is honestly so embarrassing it does not deserve to be discussed.
Some more random icks the fanfic gave me – the constant fetishistic mention of freckles, as spank-bank material and a target for a load of cum, among others. The off-putting and borderline p-word insistence on describing Rey’s very very small, non-existent breasts and her pebbled nipples being lapped at and tuned as if Adam Driver were the last survivor in a dystopian future and he just stumbled upon a radio. The constant repetition. Because the fanfic has no plot and no characters, there is naturally no tension. So the same bloodless bits of angst, that could be solved either by thinking about them for about a minute or asking a simple question, are brought up dozens and dozens and dozens of times. Is magic real or not? I’ve been shown that it is multiple times, but I just don’t know… I should leave this job… But I need the money. But I’m just not sure… For about a hundred and fifty pages. Is Adam Driver good or bad? He’s been nothing but nice to me and he fingered me that one time down that one well and I watched him jerk off in a crystal ball, but I just don’t know…He did kill his parents that one time, but that was just because they caused the Bubonic Plague (and no, this is not a joke). I just don’t know…. For another one hundred and fifty pages.
In conclusion, my lifespan has been reduced by about a decade after reading this fanfic, I feel my brain losing function and ultimately, I was left feeling really sad for anyone who produces and intentionally consumes stuff like this. Life is beautiful and full of amazing works of art. You only get a limited amount of time on Earth and you will inevitably miss so many wonders because there is simply not enough time for all of them. Even in fanfiction, even in the genre of romance, there is better than this and we all deserve better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2023
A fun, witchy romance with a grumpy hero who I didn't like at the beginning and surprisingly warmed up to a lot by the end!
Reggie responds to a job ad in the paper, thinking it's for the creators of a card game only to discover it's working as a familiar to an actual witch. She doesn't believe in magic and thinks this poor old woman is delusional, but the pay is astronomical and she really needs the job. Even if the woman's nephew is a complete ass. But maybe magic isn't as made up as she thinks....
This was an enjoyable rom-com that does a good job developing the relationship between the characters over a long enough period that I was rooting for them by the end!
Reggie responds to a job ad in the paper, thinking it's for the creators of a card game only to discover it's working as a familiar to an actual witch. She doesn't believe in magic and thinks this poor old woman is delusional, but the pay is astronomical and she really needs the job. Even if the woman's nephew is a complete ass. But maybe magic isn't as made up as she thinks....
This was an enjoyable rom-com that does a good job developing the relationship between the characters over a long enough period that I was rooting for them by the end!
December 9, 2023
I am a simple woman. I see Ali Hazelwood tell me a book is good, and I do whatever it takes to get that book into my possession.
This was so much fun! It's not perfect, but the vibes are immaculate. Something of a murder mystery with touchy witches and warlocks as the main suspects. They are all so fickle, and I stand by that creative choice. Everyone is ornery and trying to curse each other over lunch and little squabbles that it truly makes for the best time. If your witch romance doesn't say we'll figure out how to hex her good when I come back from bingo, then I don't want it.
This book is set up with a dual POV between Reggie and Ben. Reggie isn't quite a witch yet. She only responded to a newspaper ad for a witch's familiar because she thought the job had something to do with with her favourite spellcasting card game. But the joke's on her, because magic is very real, and she's in complete denial until a certain cat incident. And Ben ... well, he's the grumpiest of them all. He's got a thing against freckles that really just means he has a big thing for freckles. Cough cough. Sorry, had some pining stuck in my throat there. But Ben's good at what he does and has the black reputation to back him up.
Although, let's be real here. Aunt Dru stole the show. A total kook of an ancient witch who loves to meddle in literally everything.
Have to admit, this scared me a little. It didn't quite follow the standard romance plot formula. Which, I assure you, is far from bad. I'm rather impressed, actually, because the author kept me on my toes and still gave me what I expected. But disappointment was CLOSE. A certain level of steam should have appeared at the three quarter mark and it doesn't until the last five percent of the book, so Clare makes you work for the romance to go where it needs to. I also deeply appreciate that the inevitable conflict later in the book was resolved really quickly and well. I hate loving a couple who clearly love each other, only to sit with them in a miscommunication rut and "broken" up for 20+ pages.
As you can probably tell from the cover, this is indeed some loosely veiled Reylo fanfiction. I adore these, I promise, but if y'all tell me "he's broad, he's really really broad and oh so big," one more time, I'm going to lose it. Once is enough, thanks. To be honest, this one was a bit too blatant for me, and some of the elements, like Reggie's poverty and shitty parents and Ben's murderous past, felt too forced. I like my fanfiction more on the subtle side.
Keep all the witch romances coming my way and all I will say is thank you very much. Four and a half stars rounded up to five.
This was so much fun! It's not perfect, but the vibes are immaculate. Something of a murder mystery with touchy witches and warlocks as the main suspects. They are all so fickle, and I stand by that creative choice. Everyone is ornery and trying to curse each other over lunch and little squabbles that it truly makes for the best time. If your witch romance doesn't say we'll figure out how to hex her good when I come back from bingo, then I don't want it.
This book is set up with a dual POV between Reggie and Ben. Reggie isn't quite a witch yet. She only responded to a newspaper ad for a witch's familiar because she thought the job had something to do with with her favourite spellcasting card game. But the joke's on her, because magic is very real, and she's in complete denial until a certain cat incident. And Ben ... well, he's the grumpiest of them all. He's got a thing against freckles that really just means he has a big thing for freckles. Cough cough. Sorry, had some pining stuck in my throat there. But Ben's good at what he does and has the black reputation to back him up.
Although, let's be real here. Aunt Dru stole the show. A total kook of an ancient witch who loves to meddle in literally everything.
Have to admit, this scared me a little. It didn't quite follow the standard romance plot formula. Which, I assure you, is far from bad. I'm rather impressed, actually, because the author kept me on my toes and still gave me what I expected. But disappointment was CLOSE. A certain level of steam should have appeared at the three quarter mark and it doesn't until the last five percent of the book, so Clare makes you work for the romance to go where it needs to. I also deeply appreciate that the inevitable conflict later in the book was resolved really quickly and well. I hate loving a couple who clearly love each other, only to sit with them in a miscommunication rut and "broken" up for 20+ pages.
As you can probably tell from the cover, this is indeed some loosely veiled Reylo fanfiction. I adore these, I promise, but if y'all tell me "he's broad, he's really really broad and oh so big," one more time, I'm going to lose it. Once is enough, thanks. To be honest, this one was a bit too blatant for me, and some of the elements, like Reggie's poverty and shitty parents and Ben's murderous past, felt too forced. I like my fanfiction more on the subtle side.
Keep all the witch romances coming my way and all I will say is thank you very much. Four and a half stars rounded up to five.
March 30, 2022
Fun witchy story and slow to grow romance.
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One of the first things that hit you with this book is the crazy characters. We have an eccentric old witch who seems a bit off her rocker, her nephew who is gorgeous to look at but is a pill, and the main character who is a bit slow on the uptake.
Clare plays them all perfectly together while delivering a witty and engaging story that is a treat to read. I actually really enjoyed Ben, the nephew. You just know that there is a sweetheart underneath all of that brusk talk. When he starts warming up, so does the romance.
Go Hex Yourself is an all-around delight with so many great characters, attention to detail, and a unique story that delivers the goods. You will love Maurice too! Definitely, one to grab!
* copy received for review consideration
* full review -https://amidlifewife.com/go-hex-yours...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One of the first things that hit you with this book is the crazy characters. We have an eccentric old witch who seems a bit off her rocker, her nephew who is gorgeous to look at but is a pill, and the main character who is a bit slow on the uptake.
Clare plays them all perfectly together while delivering a witty and engaging story that is a treat to read. I actually really enjoyed Ben, the nephew. You just know that there is a sweetheart underneath all of that brusk talk. When he starts warming up, so does the romance.
Go Hex Yourself is an all-around delight with so many great characters, attention to detail, and a unique story that delivers the goods. You will love Maurice too! Definitely, one to grab!
* copy received for review consideration
* full review -https://amidlifewife.com/go-hex-yours...
Read
March 22, 2022If you can accept a 500 year old warlock falling in love with an ordinary girl who is obsessed with cleaning, then you can have fun with this book, another entry in the raft of "there are witches living among us mundanes in modern times" subgenre.
Aunt Dru needs a new familiar, which has to be a person. Reggiie is able to see the ad in the paper, which means she is suitable. The story stalled a bit while Reggie refuses to believe magic is real, but once she got it (and the scene is fun), the story, and the romance, take off. The side characters are colorful, and the pacing rolls along.
It's light-hearted fun with ancient witches who date back to Roman times, just the thing for escaping the relentlessly grim news.
Copy provided by NetGalley
Aunt Dru needs a new familiar, which has to be a person. Reggiie is able to see the ad in the paper, which means she is suitable. The story stalled a bit while Reggie refuses to believe magic is real, but once she got it (and the scene is fun), the story, and the romance, take off. The side characters are colorful, and the pacing rolls along.
It's light-hearted fun with ancient witches who date back to Roman times, just the thing for escaping the relentlessly grim news.
Copy provided by NetGalley
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