This book was my "spooky season" read. I read The Ex Hex a couple of years ago and enjoyed it. When I heard there would be a sequel, I assumed it would continue Vivi and Rhys's story. I was pleasantly surprised when I learned the story would be about Vivi's cousin, Gwyn. She seemed like an interesting person and I wanted her story.
I felt like I just reread Vivi and Rhys's story, but with two characters named Gwyn and Wells (who is Rhys's brother). It felt off for Gwyn to get involved with a Penhallow...and it was just weird, considering it is her cousin's brother-in-law.
I feel like we got to the conflict too late in the book. We knew Gwyn's magic was going in and out, but we didn't know why. None of this, or the bigger issue, was addressed until the last few chapters. It was then thrown at us all at once and quickly resolved. I would have liked to have seen a bigger build up.
When Gwyn and Wells go to confront the woman that (spoiler) turns out to be an evil witch, she denies it! And Gwyn just takes her word for it, which seems out of character for her. Granted, she was not the one stealing Gwyn's magic, like Gwyn and Wells assumed, but I felt she would have investigated harder.
Later, when Gwyn has lost her powers and is strapped to a table while the evil witches try to drain her blood, she all of a sudden gets her powers back. No help. No explanation. I never expected Wells to come in like a white night and save her, because Gwyn Jones does not need a man to save her...but an explanation as to why she all of a sudden had magic (after it had been stolen) would have been nice.
There were also word choices that felt out of place, unless coming from Wells. For example, the author used the word lassitude at one point. It just didn't fit with the overall language of the book.
I may have had higher than normal expectations, since I did enjoy the first book. I do want to eventually reread it and see if my opinions change.
I give it 3/3.5 stars. Overall, I liked the character of Gwyn, but I felt like she deserved her own story, not a rewrite of Vivi's.
Hope everyone had a great Halloween! Let me know what you think.
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