The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling

Book Review: The Kiss Curse

Rachel Hawkins, writing under the pseudonym of Erin Sterling, has done it again with the sequel to The Ex Hex! I can honestly say that I loved The Kiss Curse even more than the first novel in the series. This second installment was even more whimsical, magical, and humorous than the first! 

In this novel, readers will return to the enchanting town of Graves Glen, but this time they will follow the story of Gwyn (Vivi’s cousin from The Ex Hex). Gwyn faces many challenges, including the arrival of Llewellyn (“Wells”) Penhallow (Rhys’ brother from The Ex Hex). Wells arrives in Graves Glen determined to open a magic shop to rival Gwyn’s store, Something Wicked. Not only does Gwyn have to navigate the competitive nature of Wells, but she also is training three young students in magic who are studying at the local university, while also trying to solve the mystery of why her magical powers are suddenly disappearing. 

The professional competition between Wells and Gwyn soon shifts into something else entirely, when they share an unexpected and romantic kiss. They soon realize that working together to uncover why Gwyn’s magic is fading, and supporting each other’s stores, is much more productive than remaining competitors. Additionally, to complicate matters even further, a new coven of witches arrives to Graves Glen, leaving Gwyn and Wells to investigate whether they are the reason for Gwyn’s diminishing magic.

In The Kiss Curse, themes of love, friendship, family, and teamwork are all present throughout the story. I think these themes are a great reminder that it’s important to support each other — negativity in one’s life does much more harm than we think, it’s important to stay positive and work together. 

Overall, I really loved this novel! I found it completely captivating and it was definitely a quick page-turner, perfect for the spooky season! After all, who doesn’t love a magical Halloween story?!✨🎃👻