The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall: A Book Review
Genre: Fantasy
Filled with “magical” recipes to help boost confidence, gain clarity, and bring up memories, The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic is a heartfelt story surrounding family, grief, guilt, betrayal, and magic. Following what I feel like is the soon-to-be matriarch of a family, magic for this family is more subtle than the average idea. With some magical abilities being empathy or cooking, there is a vague sense that while a general idea (so that everyone can be said to have “magic”) the family’s abilities are just a twinge more than the average person’s. For example, the main character is a great cook, but if she makes something to promote honesty, anyone who eats it will spill their guts.
Centering around this character, the story unfolds as she tries to keep people at arm’s length so as to not lose her magic due to heartbreak. The world seems to be against her though as she finds out the current matriarch of the family is dying due to magic trying to balance itself out (matriarch did something bad in the past and is now succumbing to the world trying to right itself). The main character is then forced to figure out how to satisfy the scales without any more death. All in all, the story was interesting and easy to follow, but I do think that in all it could have been better.
First, the solution to balancing the scales is giving up magic to create a “rebirth”. I think that, while I understand the idea, Randall could have done better. The main character needs some serious character development (as all people). Rather than giving up her magic, which I see as a shortcut, I think the story would have been better if Randall made the character develop more – making that the “rebirth” needed. To me, changing yourself for the better and working to overcome your faults is more of a “rebirth” and would have satisfied the scales better as it is literally the “death” of the old version of you. Giving up magic as a magically person can be seen as a “rebirth”, but I think it would only be half as the person is still them. They gave a sacrifice sure, but not one so big as their life.
Second, I really hated how the recipes are in between each chapter. Personally, give them to me all at the end. Being in the chapter section, I feel that, not only did they draw away from the story, but they were strongly pushed. If Randall wanted to make a cookbook, she should have made a cookbook. The recipes do nothing for the story. Put them at the end or leave them out. (I can see people enjoying the recipes, so maybe not leave them out.)
I am really glad I read this book, but I also do not think it is one I am going to pick up again. It was very “meh” to me.
Who would most enjoy the work and who should stay clear (if necessary):
Enjoy
those that like stories with magic
people that like cooking
people who believe that different herbs and combinations really can work magic
Stay Clear
the belief that herbal remedies don’t work
are really bad at cooking
death is a trigger
Other books like the one reviewed:
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
The Modern Girl’s Guide to Magic by Linsey Hall
| Plot: | 9 / 10 |
| Characters: | 8 / 10 |
| Writing: | 9 / 10 |
| Editor: | 9 / 10 |
| Total | 35 / 40 |
Title: The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic
Author: Breanne Randall
Edition: First Paperback
Published: 2023
Publisher: Alcove Press, an imprint of The Quick Brown Fox & Company LLC
ISBN: 9781639105731
If you want to get it: Amazon; Barnes&Noble
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