Okay listen, this book was incredibly engrossing but also equally irritating!! I leave this book mildly angry!! The vibes were great, very autumnal and kind of cozy, a good mix of magic and mystery and a pinch of romance. I thought the sense of place in North Carolina was nicely done (though the distinction between 1951 and 2023 did not feel clear enough). I always love stories about women and what they pass down to their daughters, so that element was a real plus.

But for a book that heavily relies on time travel as a central and important plot point, the rules of the time travel were so inconsistent and indecipherable as to be frustrating. I’m a person who easily buys into things and throws logic to the wind if a book asks me to do that, but the book has to earn my buy in first. And truly nothing about this made any sense to me!! The rule of three trips?? So confusing and random!

June remembering things from a version of her that happened to future her in the past? Wait, what?! Her being alive when her mother is born, and then her mother birthing her again? Huh? Wouldn’t this whole plot then happen again as a result?

Why does this curse exist in the first place? When did it start? 

I also found the fact that June was totally kept in the dark for the majority of this book when everyone around her knew what was up fairly strange. Like they did explain why they didn’t tell her things and that it was purposeful, but mostly this withholding of information just didn’t make sense and I didn’t get their motivations. 

And very tiny, but I thought the authors note about the legacy of slavery in the state was very strange considering that topic didn’t come up throughout the book (which I noticed and was wondering if it was a deliberate choice to just… pretend that wasn’t a thing that could impact the plot or setting). Like either mention it or don’t, unclear what the author’s motivations were there.

I could probably keep going with my questions and complaints so I’ll just cut myself off now. Very interesting premise, just way too convoluted and complicated for me to fully immerse myself in. I think lovers of Addie LaRue and Practical Magic would enjoy this book, but I am just overthinking this one into oblivion.