The Sixth Spell (ARC review) – Careful what you wish for!

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The following review is part of my being in the author’s review team, which ensures that you can read it before the book comes out.

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In a week littered with ARC readings, I thought that I had a little reprieve and could continue the non-review-team that I had started. However, this was not to be, and I won’t be one to complain, as the ARC I was offered is Michelle M. Pillow’s latest (and long overdue) fifth Order of Magic book! This lady in her forties then only becomes head-over-heels happy and enters the reading with great gusto! I love me some new PWF reading by a beloved author!

What the book is about

Synopsis:

You can always go home…but sometimes home won’t let you leave.

At forty, Kari Grove knows she should be over her strict childhood. The grandparents who raised her had never been loving people. But some feelings are buried deep and contain more dark secrets than even she realizes.

Even after death, it would appear her grandmother isn’t done controlling her life. (and that’s putting it mildly)

With the help of new friends and a love interest her grandparents would have hated, Kari must finally learn to stand up for herself and unravel the tragic mystery of her past.

Heather, Vivien, Lorna, and Sue are back! With the help of Grandma Julia’s ghost, they’re kicking supernatural butt and taking names.

Gripping, heartbreaking, revolting

I’m repeating my headers and I know it (this is the same one that I am using in my other reviews), but this is the best way to summarise The Sixth Spell.

I dare you all not to read this book in one sitting! I couldn’t. I started it in the morning and finished it at 1 AM (there was a nap involved, which lengthened my reading by a couple of hours). That’s how gripping the story was. I needed to know how it finished!

The heartbreak is Kari’s story for most of the book, as we go from discovery to discovery into her and her parents’ pasts, which is also the revolting part, the one that I can’t talk about in detail because it would include spoilers.

Revolting, also, because of Connie, that sorry excuse for a mother figure. Evil is also too mild a word. It will be impossible for you not to get absolutely disgusted by her, and angry at how much of a bitch she was!

Thank you, ladies!

That’s no secret nor spoiler: Kari’s situation is quite dire, including sudden transportations. Enter Lorna, Vivien, Heather, and Sue. And Grandma Julia. Without them, I think that Kari would definitely go completely crazy at one point or another, trying to make sense of her disappearances or of her mysteriously reappearing in the house where her grandmother spent her last years and moments.

Let’s face it: those ladies are a complete blessing for anyone not familiar with the supernatural, including a floor that breaks from the weight of actual bricks. Thanks to Grandma Julia’s rings for the ladies’ friendship and help!

The only sad part of their presence is that there wasn’t enough cake in The Sixth Spell. Instead, it was replaced by often dubious casseroles, much to my hilarity. Hopefully there will be more cake in the next book (pretty please, Michelle!!!).

Steadfast Angel

No, The Sixth Spell doesn’t go into mysticism. Angel is the contractor who happens to visit Kari moments before Connie passed, a hot latino who ends up having the hots (pun intended) for Kari, and ends up stealing her heart in the process.

This said, Angel wears his name incredibly well. His presence and his steadfastedness are a complete blessing on Kari’s heart and soul, as is the presence of the quartet of middle-aged witches, neither of which being something Kari was used to up to that point, and all of which helping her both with her newfound powers and the events that ended up rocking her whole world.

My verdict

Every time there is a new Order of Magic, it becomes a fiesta in my heart, despite some scenes being difficult in one way or another (a TV constantly showing scary clowns, anyone?), because I know that the ladies, being the original trio or the newcomers, will bring their load of fun, on top of giving the main character of each book a proof that female friendship is not only alive, but all-important. There is literally strength in numbers in this series, and it makes me happy despite the heartaches of the main character of each book.

Each book can be read as a standalone, but as always, I don’t recommend it because the whole series is amazing!

The next book, The Seventh Key, is only scheduled to come out in November of next year. However, this is only one more reason for you all to get craking on this fantastic PWF series!

Five stars full of friendship and hope!

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