"In my humble opinion, the highlight of fall is Halloween. Each year, I pull out the pumpkins and Halloween wreaths as early as humanly possible. Additionally, I rewatch Practical Magic as soon as the clock strikes midnight on the first day of fall. I immerse myself in all things witchy and scary, from the movies I watch to the books I read.
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This October, I’ll be curled up reading every remotely Halloween-related book I can get my hands on. I’ll also be convincing my spook-adverse husband to watch horror movies with me. However, I realize this kind of commitment isn’t for everyone. But, while you may not be as Halloween-obsessed as me, that doesn’t mean you can’t get into the spooky spirit. Enter: The Ex Hex and The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling, the only two books you need to read this Halloween season.
The Ex Hex and The Kiss Curse are two standalone, albeit connected, stories that take place in the town of Graves Glen. You’ll need to start with The Ex Hex to get introduced to the town and key characters. By the time you’re done, you’ll be glad to have The Kiss Curse handy, as you won’t be ready to leave Graves Glen behind.
What they’re about
Nine years ago, Vivi Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, sad music, bubble baths, and a curse on her horrible ex. The curse should have been harmless. After all, it wasn’t real. However, when the aforementioned ex (who’s still just as annoyingly gorgeous as he was a decade ago) finally returns to Graves Glen, things start to go off the rails almost immediately.
Gwyn Jones is perfectly happy with her life in Graves Glen. She, her mom, and her cousin have formed a new and powerful coven. She's running a successful witchcraft shop, Something Wicked. Plus, she's started mentoring some of the younger witches in town. Then, Llewellyn “Wells” Penhallow moves to town and opens up a rival shop right across the street from Something Wicked, throwing a wrench in Gwyn’s perfect life.
Who will love them
When you think of Halloween, perhaps, you think of things that go bump in the night. Maybe you think of stories that make you panic-purchase nightlights for every room in your house. And while all things scary may be just what the doctor ordered for October, some would rather enjoy spooky vibes without the inability to sleep at night. (Think Halloweentown or Hocus Pocus.)
The Ex Hex and The Kiss Curse are romantic, cozy, Halloween-y books for people who love the Halloween aesthetic but still want a happily ever after. If you love a low-stakes rom-com, these books are must-reads in October.
Why I love them
I read fantasy books as if my life depended on them. Frankly, I just love getting lost in new worlds. I love going on adventures with the main characters and falling in love with morally gray—and probably fae—men. But I can’t read fantasy books like this all the time. They can get heavy pretty quickly. When I find myself needing a break, I turn to cozier, low-stakes fantasy books that lean more toward the romance genre. It was my need for a break such as this that led me first to The Ex Hex. Later, this led me to eagerly anticipate the follow-up, The Kiss Curse.
These stories have everything I love about cozy reads. The setting is to die for. They’re love stories to root for. And they have the magic that makes me feel nostalgic for the days I’d stay up late waiting for Halloweentown to play on Disney Channel.
Both books take place in Graves Glen. The Ex Hex follows Vivi’s story, while The Kiss Curse follows her cousin Gwyn’s. Graves Glen is a small town powered by the magic of the witches who founded it. Most of the year, it’s a quiet town that just happens to be home to witches. But in October, they go all out celebrating Halloween. Vivi is a professor at the local college, and Gwyn runs a local shop that sells fake magical objects to tourists. Sterling does an excellent job bringing the town to life. It’s like she plucked the word Halloween from the dictionary and turned it into a real-life town. If it were a real place, I’d be packing up my bags and moving there at the first opportunity.
When it comes to love stories, Sterling certainly did her homework. These books contain pretty much everything romance readers want to see. At their heart, these books are both enemies-to-lovers stories, but how each one develops is truly unique. Vivi and Rhys are plagued by a curse she accidentally placed on him 10 years prior. And when Llewellyn moves to town, he sets up a shop right across the street from Gwyn’s. I was absolutely giddy reading about how these two couples navigate the forces that simultaneously drive them apart … and together. As a person who just loves love, I was grinning from ear to ear while reading these books, and I want everyone else to feel that same joy.
While the setting and the love stories alone are enough to sell me on these books, I’d be remiss not to mention what pushed these books from good to great for me: Sir Purrcival. This talking cat literally made me laugh out loud several times throughout both books. In short, if you’re looking for a couple of fun reads to get in the Halloween spirit, you can’t go wrong with The Ex Hex and The Kiss Curse.
Nine years ago, Vivi Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, sad music, bubble baths, and a curse on her horrible ex. The curse should have been harmless. After all, it wasn’t real. However, when the aforementioned ex (who’s still just as annoyingly gorgeous as he was a decade ago) finally returns to Graves Glen, things start to go off the rails almost immediately.
Gwyn Jones is perfectly happy with her life in Graves Glen. She, her mom, and her cousin have formed a new and powerful coven. She's running a successful witchcraft shop, Something Wicked. Plus, she's started mentoring some of the younger witches in town. Then, Llewellyn “Wells” Penhallow moves to town and opens up a rival shop right across the street from Something Wicked, throwing a wrench in Gwyn’s perfect life.