such a sweet romance, i really enjoyed this. i read this in a day and could not put it down! the characters were *chefs kiss*

This book was like a warm hug. It had found family, a rivals-to-lovers romance, a secret pen-pal and strong sisterly bonds.

This book follows Bisma, one of the Unwanted Girls that live in the Enchanted Forest on the edge of town. The forest takes these girls in who are running away or have been abandoned for whatever reason, and helps raise them. When Bisma turns 18, her Baji (the eldest girl who takes on a mother-like role) leaves the forest as is the way, and Bisma becomes the Baji. She’s a little lost and scared and unsure of herself, but things get worse when her sisters start being poisoned. And because Bisma has earned her money helping people poison abusive partners/parents, there is a long list of suspects to go through. Bisma ultimately has to enlist the help of Xander, one of the town’s most eligible bachelors, to help her find a cure. But not everything is as it seems.

I loved the relationship between Bisma and Xander. I loved how they grew together and how they helped each other out. And I loved how Xander gave Bisma the space to work through past traumas that make her unwilling to open up to people, let alone love them.

The Unwanted Girls were all unique characters, each with their own stories, some of them truly heartbreaking. But they all ended up in the forest with each other. They all ended up in a loving home, and you can really see how these girls love each other and would do anything to protect the others and their home.

This book is light on the fantasy. There were a few holes in the magic system and world building that left me with some questions, but since the book seems to focus more on the relationships rather than the magic itself, it wasn’t too much of a distraction.

Overall, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I would absolutely recommend it, especially if you’re looking for a cosy fantasy that’s actually entertaining.

This was so cute! I loved the world and the magic, and despite all the poison it was very cosy. Perfect YA read for actual teenagers!

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars
This was such a lively, romantic and cosy read! After soaring through her debut adult romance, I was so happy to get an ARC of her YA cosy romance. Qureshi definitely delivered on the cosy and Howl’s Moving Castle vibes! While it was a tad predictable in some areas, it was low stakes and enjoyable enough to read in one sitting. It’s great to fill the well until A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping, Sangu Mandanna’s next book after The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, releases!

Yet again, Aanma Qureshi does it again with the cosy! This time, I do feel like the stakes were slightly higher, but the cosy was felt throughout!

Bisma was such a lovable FMC who cared for all of her sisters. For someone so young, there was such a lot of pressure on her for things to go right, and so many people’s needs having to be met. But she really tried. I liked finding out all the backstories of how the girls ended up there, and the characters felt so fleshed out because of it.

As with any cosy fantasy romance, there is a romantic element to it, and the MMC didn’t disappoint. He was charming, and definitely the sunshine to their grumpy x sunshine romance.

I found this read a solid 4⭐️ I loved all the potion making and forest witchy elements to it. However, I find some elements of the plot quite predictable. Buuuut I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Thankyou so much to NetGalley and Hodder for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I could put this book down – absolutely loved it.

Rating - 4.75⭐️

I think this might be the cozy fantasy of my dreams!! I highly recommend this for fans of Howl’s Moving Castle and Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries.

From the very first chapter, I already had a feeling I was going to love this book😌. It had the perfect amount of wholesomeness that made me cry tears of joy, while also having many emotional moments🥹.

Bisma is a garden-witch with a poison business and she lives in a sentient magical forest with her sisters who are known as the “Unwanted girls” by their village. Brimming with girlhood and sisterhood, all the interactions between the girls made my heart melt😩. They continuously made me go “Awww🥹” throughout the book.

Bisma also has to deal with a lot of pressure and responsibility of being the eldest and having to take care of her 5 younger sisters. I admit I cried a few times because I really felt for Bisma as an eldest daughter myself✋🏻😔.

The romance between Xander and Bisma is a reverse grumpy x sunshine (one of my fav tropes🙂‍↕️). Xander is dramatic, romantic and an incorrigible flirt bursting with golden retriever energy. You’ll definitely love him if you also love Howl Pendragon and Wendell Bambleby🤭. And did I mention he falls first?🥰

Great Ya read full of supernatural adventure and excitement. Highly enjoyed this one! Definitely check this one out!