Aamna Qureshi’s A Witch’s Guide to Love and Poison follows Bisma as she takes on the role of Baji, of looking after her younger sisters. During her tenure, her sisters begin to be poisoned and only the boy Bisma has been holding at a distance, Xander, can help her cure them.
Despite the fact that there were some darker themes explored in this book – murder, poison, domestic abuse – this was a very cosy read. The world was vividly described, the characters were fun, the MMC was especially sweet and there lovely details of South Asian sweets and foods that were lovely bright, sparkling moments to me, someone also from a South Asian background.
There were moments where the writing felt more Middle Grade than Young Adult, but it was a really enjoyable read nonetheless.
Thank you netgalley and Hodder for providing an e-arc of this book in exchange for a review.

This was very sweet, especially the relationship between the two main characters, and the familial relationship as Bisma takes on the responsibility for all her sisters in their absolutely delightful magical treehouse. This sweetness is counteracted by stakes that are extremely high, which leads to something of a tonal clash at points, but i know a number of young people i work with who will consume this book as quickly as i did, and be absolutely charmed by both the romance and the world which is built here.

3.5
This was a very sweet cosy YA fantasy, with some high stakes and romance for our FMC, and it was fun to read. I love how the desi aspects were woven so easily, and our MMC did not disappoint with his yearning. The hate to love was definitely one sided from our FMC, but that just makes it sweeter, as she works through her issues.

However, I did feel at time unsure if I was reading a middle grade story or a YA story. While the stakes weren't exceptionally high, it did seem odd that our FMC Bisma would spend a few hours dancing when her sisters were dying. That kind of suddenly carefree or irresponsible character moments (yes i know she's 18, it just seem like a drastic change), predictableness of the plot, and the simple magic system, especially the tree house/forest seemed very middle grade. In comparison the very sweet closed door romance, tension between our FMC and MMC, as well as the discussion of sex, leaned more towards YA. Those things just felt a bit at odds while reading.

It's a sweet cosy story for anyone who wants a break.

A Witch's Guide to Love and Poison was a fun read. I was surprised how fast I got to the end. You get a story about growing up, witchcraft and found family. Throughout the book it felt like I was watching an animation film, might be because of the writing style or the setting with the forest and the town. It has a nice build up of Bisma's and Xander's relationship and how she got past her trauma to trust another person who isn't family.

Thanks to Aamna Qureshi and NetGalley for the ARC.

Sweet and fluffy YA fantasy romance that definitely fills a gap in the market when it comes to softer, more character-focused stories. Parts of it were a little predictable, and I felt that the middle of the book dragged out the romance revelations a little too long, but overall, this was super cute and a fun read.

such a sweet romance, i really enjoyed this. i read this in a day and could not put it down! the characters were *chefs kiss*

This book was like a warm hug. It had found family, a rivals-to-lovers romance, a secret pen-pal and strong sisterly bonds.

This book follows Bisma, one of the Unwanted Girls that live in the Enchanted Forest on the edge of town. The forest takes these girls in who are running away or have been abandoned for whatever reason, and helps raise them. When Bisma turns 18, her Baji (the eldest girl who takes on a mother-like role) leaves the forest as is the way, and Bisma becomes the Baji. She’s a little lost and scared and unsure of herself, but things get worse when her sisters start being poisoned. And because Bisma has earned her money helping people poison abusive partners/parents, there is a long list of suspects to go through. Bisma ultimately has to enlist the help of Xander, one of the town’s most eligible bachelors, to help her find a cure. But not everything is as it seems.

I loved the relationship between Bisma and Xander. I loved how they grew together and how they helped each other out. And I loved how Xander gave Bisma the space to work through past traumas that make her unwilling to open up to people, let alone love them.

The Unwanted Girls were all unique characters, each with their own stories, some of them truly heartbreaking. But they all ended up in the forest with each other. They all ended up in a loving home, and you can really see how these girls love each other and would do anything to protect the others and their home.

This book is light on the fantasy. There were a few holes in the magic system and world building that left me with some questions, but since the book seems to focus more on the relationships rather than the magic itself, it wasn’t too much of a distraction.

Overall, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I would absolutely recommend it, especially if you’re looking for a cosy fantasy that’s actually entertaining.

This was so cute! I loved the world and the magic, and despite all the poison it was very cosy. Perfect YA read for actual teenagers!

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars
This was such a lively, romantic and cosy read! After soaring through her debut adult romance, I was so happy to get an ARC of her YA cosy romance. Qureshi definitely delivered on the cosy and Howl’s Moving Castle vibes! While it was a tad predictable in some areas, it was low stakes and enjoyable enough to read in one sitting. It’s great to fill the well until A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping, Sangu Mandanna’s next book after The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, releases!

Yet again, Aanma Qureshi does it again with the cosy! This time, I do feel like the stakes were slightly higher, but the cosy was felt throughout!

Bisma was such a lovable FMC who cared for all of her sisters. For someone so young, there was such a lot of pressure on her for things to go right, and so many people’s needs having to be met. But she really tried. I liked finding out all the backstories of how the girls ended up there, and the characters felt so fleshed out because of it.

As with any cosy fantasy romance, there is a romantic element to it, and the MMC didn’t disappoint. He was charming, and definitely the sunshine to their grumpy x sunshine romance.

I found this read a solid 4⭐️ I loved all the potion making and forest witchy elements to it. However, I find some elements of the plot quite predictable. Buuuut I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Thankyou so much to NetGalley and Hodder for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Rating - 4.75⭐️

I think this might be the cozy fantasy of my dreams!! I highly recommend this for fans of Howl’s Moving Castle and Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries.

From the very first chapter, I already had a feeling I was going to love this book😌. It had the perfect amount of wholesomeness that made me cry tears of joy, while also having many emotional moments🥹.

Bisma is a garden-witch with a poison business and she lives in a sentient magical forest with her sisters who are known as the “Unwanted girls” by their village. Brimming with girlhood and sisterhood, all the interactions between the girls made my heart melt😩. They continuously made me go “Awww🥹” throughout the book.

Bisma also has to deal with a lot of pressure and responsibility of being the eldest and having to take care of her 5 younger sisters. I admit I cried a few times because I really felt for Bisma as an eldest daughter myself✋🏻😔.

The romance between Xander and Bisma is a reverse grumpy x sunshine (one of my fav tropes🙂‍↕️). Xander is dramatic, romantic and an incorrigible flirt bursting with golden retriever energy. You’ll definitely love him if you also love Howl Pendragon and Wendell Bambleby🤭. And did I mention he falls first?🥰

Great Ya read full of supernatural adventure and excitement. Highly enjoyed this one! Definitely check this one out!