In my quest for diving deeper into sapphic books I stumbled upon a readalong hosted by a beloved friend of mine (you can find her blog here!) for Sweet & Bitter Magic. I did not hesitate—and dear lord this is exactly what I needed. Witches and sapphics. Do I need to say more?
Told in dual perspective, the book follows Tamsin, a witch cursed to renounce her ability to feel love; banished to the human lands for casting a forbidden spell, and Wren, a source: made of magic and able to see and sense it everywhere, but unable to use it. Their paths collide amidst a plague threatening the fate of humanity, in Wren's desperate attempt to save her ill father from a memory-erasing disease. Tamsin's price? For Wren to give up the love she feels for him. As they venture deep into the Woods in search of the dark witch using forbidden magic to put an end to the plague, things soon start to shift between them.
Book: Sweet & Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley.
Release Date: March 9th, 2021.
Representation: Ownvoices wlw protagonists (and romance), casual sapphic and non-binary rep.
In this charming debut fantasy perfect for fans of Sorcery of Thorns and Girls of Paper and Fire, a witch cursed to never love meets a girl hiding her own dangerous magic, and the two strike a dangerous bargain to save their queendom.
Tamsin is the most powerful witch of her generation. But after committing the worst magical sin, she’s exiled by the ruling Coven and cursed with the inability to love. The only way she can get those feelings back—even for just a little while—is to steal love from others.
Wren is a source—a rare kind of person who is made of magic, despite being unable to use it herself. Sources are required to train with the Coven as soon as they discover their abilities, but Wren—the only caretaker to her ailing father—has spent her life hiding her secret.
When a magical plague ravages the queendom, Wren’s father falls victim. To save him, Wren proposes a bargain: if Tamsin will help her catch the dark witch responsible for creating the plague, then Wren will give Tamsin her love for her father.
Of course, love bargains are a tricky thing, and these two have a long, perilous journey ahead of them—that is, if they don't kill each other first.
(Description taken from Goodreads)
4.5/5 stars
I loved this book, plain and simple. It has the kind of first chapter that immediately hooks you in, and such a beautiful writing throughout the whole book that it ends up being a truly breathtaking experience. As a witch and a sapphic, this is exactly the kind of book that I needed, and it fed me so well!
The dual perspective was awesome—I found myself a little bit in both Wren and Tamsin, each with a unique voice of their own. The girl who cares too much and the girl who cares too little; but is it really that way? I encourage you to pick up the book and find out. The travesty into the Woods in order to reach Within (I really liked the names for the witch world and the human world!) brings some gorgeous character development for both of them, often bringing a smile to my face. I find that books with characters I can resonate with on a deeper level help me a little bit in my own personal journey of growth and self discovery.
The magic system was really cool, especially the idea behind sources; people that are made of pure, raw magic. They can see the threads of magic surrounding the earth, people, everything. Wren is constantly describing her experience as a source in great detail with colors, scents, sensations. It was wonderful, and it played a key role in her character development that made me a teeny tiny teary eyed. The yin to Tamsin's yan. The perfect complement.
I have to admit that the worldbuilding was a bit lacking. From a map so beautiful I expected more, but despite the fantastic descriptions of both the human and witch worlds, quite a lot of it was in telling rather than showing. I would have loved a deeper exploration of the universe, to see more of it, to experience more. Yet, I was satisfied because the book gave me so much more in other areas. In the end, I guess this is more wishful thinking than an actual demand.
I could spend hours talking about the romance, believe me. From reluctant allies to.. well; it is up to you to discover it. I promise the book delivers. The pace is perfect: nothing too rushed. There was a quietness to it, less a roaring ocean and more a sprinkle of seawater. Reading them fall in love made me feel full of hope. Their relationship begins as something quite strained, borne from Wren's selfless desire to save her father and, in order to do so, the world. One could say that, given Tamsin's curse, it'd be difficult to find her a likeable character. There was no such thing. The deep longing she felt shook me to the core, and as their paths became more entwined and the alliance became something more, something raw and powerful, I think this book made me believe in true, unabashed, beautiful love once again.
Plus, one bed trope. Had I known this teensy little trope would be featured in the book, I would have picked it up much sooner.
Indeed, it provides us with a swoon-worthy romance—but love being essential to the plot, it goes beyond the romantic. The book explores independence and authenticity and their ties to self love in a way that reminded me of my own experiences, struggling with depression and anxiety. I know what it's like to have people expect things from you, or, at the very least, the feeling that such thing is happening. For both Wren and Tamsin, the act of relearning love is powerful and groundbreaking.
I enjoyed the twists; the kind that is not quite predictable but ends up making a lot of sense. The ending was simply perfect.
Ultimately, I think Sweet & Bitter Magic is a story about redemption, growth, and the balance love brings to our lives. To love too much or to love too little, and the struggle of making choices for our own sakes. Where some people might say it is an act of selfishness, I say this book taught me that it is okay to want; to exist and to grow beyond the people we care for. To enjoy sunsets. To free ourselves and taste joy.
Mentions of death, dead bodies, plagues, deadly diseases. Mentions of parental neglect.
Adrienne Tooley grew up in Southern California, majored in musical theater in Pittsburgh, and now lives in Brooklyn with her wife, six guitars, and a banjo. In addition to writing novels, she is a singer/songwriter who has currently released three indie-folk EPs. Her debut novel, SWEET & BITTER MAGIC, was released March 9, 2021. Her second novel, SOFI AND THE BONE SONG, will release in 2022.
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