Spells for Forgetting, by Adrienne Young

[Trisha]

A deeply atmospheric story about ancestral magic, an unsolved murder, and a second chance at true love.

Emery Blackwood’s life changed forever the night her best friend was found dead and the love of her life, August Salt, was accused of murdering her. Years later, she is doing what her teenage self swore she never would: living a quiet existence on the misty, remote shores of Saoirse Island and running the family’s business, Blackwood’s Tea Shoppe Herbal Tonics & Tea Leaf Readings.

But when the island, rooted in folklore and magic, begins to show signs of strange happenings, Emery knows that something is coming. The morning she wakes to find that every single tree on Saoirse has turned color in a single night, August returns for the first time in fourteen years and unearths the past that the town has tried desperately to forget.

August knows he is not welcome on Saiorse, not after the night everything changed. As a fire raged on at the Salt family orchard, Lily Morgan was found dead in the dark woods, shaking the bedrock of their tight-knit community and branding August a murderer. When he returns to bury his mother’s ashes, he must confront the people who turned their backs on him and face the one wound from his past that has never healed—Emery.

The town has more than one reason to want August gone, and the emergence of deep betrayals and hidden promises spanning generations threaten to reveal the truth behind Lily’s mysterious death once and for all.

[Trisha]

Please remember this is a discussion thread!

** Spoilers might be listed so read carefully
** Please use Spoiler Tags to hide spoiler comments!!

[Trisha]

I'm starting this one! So excited!

[Trisha]

15 chapters

(view spoiler)[ how difficult as a teen for him to leave her like that
but it's been 14 years. I'm a little surprised she hasn't moved on - maybe the town has kept her there and kept her stifled and stuck on her friend's death?

I'm wondering if Dutch had something to do with it? it was definitely someone else. . .was that comment with her dad about something else? (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha]

30 chapters

(view spoiler)[ ugh, I wish they'd just tell us what the deed says. Does it say it goes to Eloise and so now it's August's? or does it just go straight o August? Everyone knows but August and the reader.

I don't know that we need blow by blow of their relationship as kids. I'm not buying the whole it was a love more special than any other love as kids. Meh.

I hate that these adults have blamed this poor kid all this time so they could hide something. I wonder what really happened to Lily - the details are odd. (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha]

and I'm done

(view spoiler)[ I found the story a little lighter on the magic than I'd liked.
I do appreciate that lily died from it and that she was doing some dirty magic trying to kill Emery! Awful!

and the town secrets were shocking! I couldn't believe Jake was going to kill August. . .even though he didn't do it

Both Leoda's and Lily's jealousy over what Emery and August had was so sad. Sad that they would go to such extremes

I loved the end, the island calling them back (hide spoiler)]

[Michelle]

Chapter 33 (view spoiler)[ to this point, I have suspected Dutch as the killer and father of the baby, but I am also suspecting the uncle. I am not sure what all the adults are hiding and how that plays into the murder. <\spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

[Michelle]

All done. Overall, I thought it was okay. I feel for a book labeled as fantasy/ magical realism it fell a bit short on that. I liked the ending and wonder if there will be to come for the island.

[Trisha]

Yes! I completely agree. It was not quite the fantasy I thought it was going to be but I found the ending a little open too. Fingers crossed maybe we'll get a #2 now that we're familiar with the story. . .