After accidentally cursing his ex-boyfriend, a reluctant hero must complete a dangerous quest to undo his spell . . . all while falling for a brooding new crewmate with dark secrets.

Kieran has never had much luck in love or magic. Other than being freed from a family curse that would have killed him and doomed his twin sister, life isn’t going his way.

So, after getting put on notice by his boyfriend and accidentally writing a poem so bad (and magically hazardous) that it makes him invisible to the guy, of course Kieran returns home to find the Witches Council sitting in his living room, demanding he complete his magical training. Panicked, he blurts out that his Calling—a kind of magical thesis—will be to find a magical cure-all that can break any curse . . . an enormous task that he absolutely doesn’t have the power to pull off.

Nevertheless, Kieran sets off on this dangerous journey, accompanied by his sister Briar, her girlfriend Delilah, and a swoony new crewmate, Sebastian. If he survives, he may just learn how to turn his luck around and figure out what kind of witch, person, and boyfriend he wants to be.

Extraordinary Quests for Amateur Witches by Kayla Cottingham is charming and magical. From the very start, I like the dilemma that Kieran faces as he has to figure out how to work magic after not using it most of his life and that he has to save his ex-boyfriend from his own curse. I also liked how magic works, that each person has to figure out how to focus the magic and use it in a unique way. It made for a novel story idea.

As the story drives forward, I like that Kieran embraces his own strengths, learns to speak up for himself and be brave despite his fears. His confidence grows the more he embraces his magic and his skills. I love how interesting the curses are but I especially love how the romance between him and Sebastian grows and develops. Even though things don’t work out quite the way one expected at the beginning, the ending is beautiful.

If you like charming and magical stories about magic and witches, this romantic fantasy will delight you as Kieran faces his fears and learns about true love. The adventures are fun but the romance is sweet and worth the read.

Rating: 5 out of 5 poems. 

Penguin RandomHouse

Kayla Cottingham website