Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things

Randall (The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic) offers an entertaining but surface-level romance about the power of family and connection, with a side of magic. The three Petridi sisters are witches who have inherited the power passed down through their maternal line. But after their mother disappears, Calliope is the only sister who wants to continue using her abilities. Like all magic, theirs comes at a cost, one her sisters refuse: Calliope must sacrifice a memory to fuel each spell. While patrolling the woods near their manor house, Calliope discovers that the Dark Oak their family is sworn to protect is being tampered with by the mortal enemies of the Petridis, the Deniz family of Shadowcraft mages. Then, in trying to reinforce her spells, Calliope accidentally taps into something far too powerful, and the only way to save herself is to bind her magic to the strongest Shadowcraft mage, the magnetically handsome but unscrupulous Lucien Deniz. Now Calliope and her sisters must strengthen their own bond to protect the Oak and their town—but what can Calliope afford to forget in order to do so? The worldbuilding feels cutesy and almost Disney-ish, but the charming, diverse cast of characters will keep readers invested. It’s a diverting enough romp. (Mar.)