a witch's guide to fake dating a demon

In July I checked out a new bookstore near my summer spot in upstate NY. Perusing small town bookstores is one of my chosen summertime Hallmark movie-type activities, along with supporting volunteer firefighters at pancake breakfasts, going to outdoor concerts, and volunteering at the annual library book sale. I have a goal of racking up as many of these charming small town staples as possible for my own amusement. Alas, there was no bookstore meet-cute this time, but I ended up finding (and purchasing) Sarah Hawley’s A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon. Why this book? First, the main character’s name – Mariel Spark – is very close to one of my all-time favorite author’s names (Muriel Spark), second, it had fake dating in the title, and third, I always like to support an independent bookshop. Lucky me, it was a funny, witchy romance just right for a day or two of light reading, and perfect for this particular time of year.

Mariel Spark is prophesied to be the most powerful witch seen in centuries of the famed Spark family, but to the displeasure of her mother, she prefers baking to brewing potions and gardening to casting hexes. When a spell to summon flour goes very wrong, Mariel finds herself staring down a demon—one she inadvertently summoned for a soul bargain.

Ozroth the Ruthless is a legend among demons. Powerful and merciless, he drives hard bargains to collect mortal souls. But his reputation has suffered ever since a bargain went awry—if he can strike a bargain with Mariel, he will earn back his deadly reputation. Ozroth can’t leave Mariel’s side until they complete a bargain, which she refuses to do (turns out some humans are attached to their souls).
 
But the witch is funny. And curvy. And disgustingly yet endearingly cheerful. Becoming awkward roommates quickly escalates when Mariel, terrified to confess the inadvertent summoning to her mother, blurts out that she’s dating Ozroth. As Ozroth and Mariel struggle with their opposing goals and maintaining a fake relationship, real attraction blooms between them. But Ozroth has a limited amount of time to strike the deal, and if Mariel gives up her soul, she’ll lose all her emotions—including love—which will only spell disaster for them both.

The story opens with protagonist Mariel proving that she struggles with magic: she accidentally explodes a chicken in her kitchen. Mariel gets “simple” spells wrong all of the time, and is harassed about it by her self-important and -absorbed mother (the mothers in this story are THE WORST). Later when she tries to summon flour for a recipe, she instead accidentally calls a demon, Ozroth the Ruthless, to make a bargain. Two problems there: it was a mistake, and Mariel’s not interested in surrendering her soul for any of the things the demon may be offering. When her mother meets Ozroth (Oz for short), Mariel panics and says they are dating. Thus, a romance novel plot is born!

Character-wise, Mariel suffers from chronically low self-confidence due to unreasonable expectations placed on her by her family (there was a capital P prophecy at her birth!) and underperforming over the years. Her magic is nature-based, and only succeeds when she focuses where she has genuine interest (i.e. caring for plants and baking). Her loyal friends Calladia and Themmie join Oz in trying to build up her magical confidence and backbone with her toxic family, but Mariel must commit to that growth on her own. 

 

Oz, on the other hand, is looking for redemption. He used to be a cold, emotionless soul bargainer, but sometime in the past six months he accidentally got himself a human soul! He’s on thin ice in the demon realm and uncomfortable feeling things, so what better place to be stuck trying to set it all right than in the human realm with only the clothes on his back?! As Oz slowly adjusts his expectations, Mariel starts valuing herself, and various fake dating hijinks ensue. The romance itself is light, predictable, and features a fairly slow start (the characters kiss for the first time somewhere around page 170), but then takes off.  

There are two interesting things that set this book apart from the usual fare. First, although it is primarily a small town romance… this is a small town is set in an alternate universe where magic and magical creatures are accepted and commonplace, the demon plane exists, and there are different cultural rules throughout. For a full-on romance, it has one of the most well-developed fantastical settings I’ve ever seen. It is also a self-aware creature fic. By that I mean that there are lots of in-jokes and allusions to tropes that will resonate with folks who either read a lot of fantastical/paranormal romance or fanfiction. For instance, the main character knows about knotting, barbed genitalia, and so on, and there are funny asides and in-jokes, such as Oz liking pumpkin spice flavor ice cream best.

In all, this is a light, formulaic romance set in an interesting magical universe, with characters who must work through their pasts and toxic habits before they can commit to their happily ever after.

Recommended for: fans of small town and paranormal and fantasy romance, and anyone who is feeling witchy autumn vibes and wants to read a romance to enhance that feeling.

we're off to the forest

I have to admit that at my age, I’m a terribly picky picture book consumer. I want to see hand-drawn illustrations, or something that looks like it took time and an excess of skill to create. In other words, I am serious about picture book art being ART. After all, how am I to maintain my title of best book gifting auntie ever without a discerning eye? But seriously though – an artful book for children is a wonder, and I am constantly on the lookout for something that matches an aesthetic I can only articulate as “hard work slash art!” Katarína Macurová's forthcoming picture book We're Off to the Forest, translated by Andrew Oakland, met that vague criteria on the merits of its cover art, which hint at its forest-in-autumn theme, and illustrations full of color, depth, and texture. Here we are!

Autumn is here. The forest is awash with colour. Leaves flutter to the ground, where they rustle underfoot. It’s getting colder. The animals are preparing for winter. A daddy squirrel and his son go to the forest every day – for stores, and for something else. Shh … Do you hear that? A story is coming your way. A story tender and warm, about an ordinary, extraordinary forest, ordinary, extraordinary treasure within it, and how even little things can change the big, wide world.

A young squirrel is the narrator in this picture book, and they are excited to go with their father into the forest on their daily mission to look after their acorn. However, lots of animals in the forest like to eat acorns too – what makes this one special? This acorn was planted, and it is slowly turning into an oak tree! Katarína Macurová’s detailed illustrations, all in full autumnal color, span two pages each for a rich and varied forest landscape. The art alone makes this title worthy of many reads and re-reads.

We’re Off to the Forest is a quaint and beautifully illustrated picture book about a squirrel family at its core, but on a much larger scale it is a lesson on how forests are ecosystems that feed and shelter all of the animals within them. The “lesson” of the book will spark interest in how readers can care for the natural world in sustainable ways – and maybe they too can adopt an “acorn” in their corner of the world. The oak tree that the acorn came from in this story is 500 years old, and feeds many different animal families in the forest. Each of these animals are lovingly illustrated in bright colors, with lots of contrast (purples next to greens! oranges and yellows next to browns!) making for an attractive and engaging visual experience as well. I was particularly charmed by some cute touches, such as the little squirrel’s acorn cap hat, and the different sorts of mushrooms illustrated within the pages.

In all, We’re Off to the Forest is a delightful and short read to share before going on a nature walk, leaf-peeping trip, or acorn-collecting with young ones.

Recommended for: reading aloud to children ages 3-5, fans of Kate Messner’s Over and Under series, and anyone interested in sharing about the lifecycle of the forest in beautiful picture book form.

We're Off to the Forest will be published by Albatros on September 24, 2024.

Fine print: I received an advanced digital copy of the text from the publisher (Albatros) at Picture Book Palooza. I did not receive any compensation for this post.