Review: The Anatomy of Magic

The Anatomy of Magic by J.C. Cervantes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

2.5 stars

I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review

“I spelled my heart.”

Second in the Estrada Family series, The Anatomy of Magic is about Lily, the youngest sister. If you read the first (The Enchanted Hacienda) you'll know that generations ago, an Estrada woman made a desperate deal with the Aztec goddess Mayahuel. The deal was for every female descendant to be blessed with their own brand of magic that is enhanced by plants and flowers. Lily's magic is memory and when a patient's son utters a line from her past, she is shocked into a distant memory and then tragically loses for the first time a patient on the operating table. This causes her to go home to her family flower farm in Mexico and face the consequences of the intensified memory spell she put on herself to try and forget her first love Sam.

“It’s because something else is taking up space in your heart, and you have to heal that.”

Told all from Lily's point-of-view this was a more sedate moving story about how not dealing with past pains can bubble up and impact you when you least expect it. It's a magical realism setting with the flower magic and a family generational story, even though each book takes turns focusing on a different Estrada woman. There's the love interest Sam, who doesn't appear until around the 25% mark, but his character isn't so much there for his story to be told but in service of showing how Lily is the way she is today and how she has to work through that. The love thread is a second chance romance as the two were childhood sweethearts and then eleven years ago when they were nineteen, Sam out of nowhere says he doesn't love her anymore, giving no other explanation. This causes Lily to spell her heart to try and forget their years long love but also works to deaden her emotionally somewhat. The story was more about Lily discovering she should feel again and how she could go about it than showing Lily and Sam working together to resolve their past pain. A little later into the second half, Sam tells Lily why he broke up with her and Lily pretty much forgives him right away. The romance arc was more working through Lily's pain, hearing the reason she always wondered about, and then immediately moving on to we're in love.

“Azalea came to me in a dream,” I say.
“And?”
“She told me to go back to the beginning.”

The ending has some family and magical drama from a decision Lily makes but we get a resolving of that for no cliff-hangers, also an epilogue to deliver what looks like a Lily and Sam worked out happily ever after. I enjoyed the continued magical realism aspects and Estrada family relationships that were laid out in the first, you could pick this up as a standalone as there's enough relaying to clue new readers in, but the pace got a little slow for me as Lily glummed around. I also missed the romance thread being stronger and having more working through to give the second chance more impact. This wasn't the strongest installment for me but I'm still entranced by the Estrada women and their flower farm and will be looking out for the next one to fall in love.

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Review: The Enchanted Hacienda

The Enchanted Hacienda by J.C. Cervantes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.7 stars 

I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. 

It’s seven fifteen on a Thursday, and I’ve lost my dream job, and an unworthy boyfriend, and the apartment that comes along with him, and worst of all, maybe even myself along the way. 

Harlow was just let go from her job as a book editor due to cut backs and when she overhears her boyfriend saying a snide remark about her, she throws her drink in his face and decides it’s time to leave New York City and go home to the Estrada family farm in Mexico. For four generations the Estrada women have been running the flower farm, using the magic gifted to them from the Aztec goddess Mayahuel to infuse the flowers with magic. Each woman in Harlow’s family has their own brand of magic, except for her, the only one not named for a flower. Back home, she gets left with the responsibility of the farm, meets a man that finally has her feeling alive, and starts to think that she might just have her own brand of magic. 

“I want to find the better and truer way,” I whisper. 

Told all in Harlow’s first person pov, The Enchanted Hacienda was a story of coming from a loving family but still feeling like an outsider, finding and learning to believe in yourself, and trusting in love. A lot of have compared this to Encanto (Disney movie) but I haven’t seen it, I will say this had some Practical Magic movie vibes. Harlow, coming home and helped by her mother, tía, two sisters, and cousins in the beginning created a warm loving atmosphere but halfway through they leave the immediate picture and Harlow has to work things out on her own, while Ben comes into the picture. A chance meeting at a café has Harlow and Ben sparking off each other and then it’s clear, with their other chance meetings, that the universe and magic are invested in getting these two together. 

For once I don’t want to choose safe. It always leads to the same outcome: a belief that good is enough. 

While this is mostly Harlow’s story of finding herself, Ben plays a big part of that in the second half and we get more of a romance plot than I was expecting. They were are turns cute and sparking with their shy approaching and flirting. It was clear that Ben liked Harlow but without his point-of-view, the romance was more lopsided with it being more about Harlow. As they grow closer together, the angst comes in the latter second half when Harlow discovers that magic may be playing a conniving part in their relationship and her trust issues has her fearing their feelings might not be completely real. However, as Harlow comes into her magic and self, trust builds and we get a sweet ending HEA. 

With a half sigh, half groan, he presses his forehead to mine. “Truth?” 

I nod. 

“I think I’m in a lot of trouble.” 

This wasn’t quite an ensemble story, Harlow is always front and center, but the author brings readers into a world full of characters that they are going to love and want to get their own stories. There will always be the grounding spot, foundation of the Estrada family flower farm with Harlow’s mother and tía and I can see Harlow’s two sisters, Camilla and Lily, her cousins Dahlia and Lantana, and her bestfriend Laini visiting and then starting off the journey to their own books. This was more character driven, the magical realism world was contained to flowers and bouquets infused with magic and spell that played, for the most part, to the side. I liked how through Harlow’s journey to find herself we get the history of how the Estrada family has this magic, giving some world-setting. With the world set and the other women having lived with their magic longer, I can see their books having more magic in them.

It was all magic. 

Harlow’s journey to finding and believing in herself, coming into her own magic, and learning to trust in her love with Ben, will sweep you away with its sweet and spark. If you like to make midnight margaritas, then you need to visit the Estrada family farm.

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Reading Update: Page 1

 

It's another below freezing day for me, so bring on some stew and fantasy! 

Harlow has been fired from her dream job and she's done with her jerk boyfriend. Leaving NY she goes home to the Estrada family farm, where the family's magic gets harnessed into their flowers. 

Harlow has never had magic but when her mother and aunt give her a special task, she might learn to finally believe in herself. 

Fantasy, magical realism, a handsome stranger, unconditional family love, and growing into yourself, The Enchanted Hacienda sounds like a treat! 

The Enchanted Hacienda by J.C. Cervantes preorder (May 16) link

Brazilian Prawn Coconut Stew recipe