Book Review: The Ex Hex

Kay's Secret Library
Jan 13, 2022
2 min read

The Ex Hex (2021)

Fiction | Fantasy | Romance | Paranormal | October 2021 BOTM

Disclaimer: In every review that I complete, I try my best to avoid spoilers of any kind and include spoiler warnings when necessary.

About the book (from Goodreads)

Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, weepy music, bubble baths…and a curse on the horrible boyfriend. Sure, Vivi knows she shouldn’t use her magic this way, but with only an “orchard hayride” scented candle on hand, she isn’t worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day or two.

That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendent of the town’s ancestors, breaker of hearts, and annoyingly just as gorgeous as he always was, returns to Graves Glen, Georgia. What should be a quick trip to recharge the town’s ley lines and make an appearance at the annual fall festival turns disastrously wrong. With one calamity after another striking Rhys, Vivi realizes her silly little Ex Hex may not have been so harmless after all.

Suddenly, Graves Glen is under attack from murderous wind-up toys, a pissed off ghost, and a talking cat with some interesting things to say. Vivi and Rhys have to ignore their off the charts chemistry to work together to save the town and find a way to break the break-up curse before it’s too late.

"Probably would be more metal if I weren't wearing my pumpkin jammies, but what can you do?"

My Review

I've been wanting to read this book for months (it was one of the botm choices for October 2021, so it was super popular around last Halloween) and finally got around to it because a small online book group I'm a part of, as we picked it for one of our January books! I am so glad that we did because I definitely shouldn't have waited to read The Ex Hex.

I liked what Sterling did with her story and characters. In the book, Vivi and Rhys's relationship dynamic is great and different from most romance books I've read. The two of them, throughout the book, are essentially forced to get to know one another as adults, rather than lovesick teenagers.

I'm giving this book five stars because I honestly think it deserves it. The quote above perfectly sums up the cozy and cute atmosphere of this witchy book, and I absolutely LOVE it. Plus, can we please talk about that amazing cover? A+.

The Good Things

The relationship dynamics between all of the characters are fantastic!
Vivi is the ideal main character. Sterling wrote her exceptionally well!
As someone who grew up LOVING Hocus Pocus and all things Halloweentown, I'd very much like to live in Graves Glen, thank you very much.

The Bad Things

I'm having a very hard time finding anything bad about this book. I suppose if I was really trying, I could say that it is a tad cheesy in some places, but it's SUPPOSED to be!