•More Than a Pretty Cover•
2026 has officially been the year of discovering new authors for me! With that comes stunning covers and incredibly unique concepts. That is exactly what this book brought to the table—it was entirely unexpected, but absolutely worth the few hours I spent with it today. (Plus, bonus points for the dog and the Princess Bride references, since that’s one of my all-time favorite movies!)
Before I dive into what I loved, I do want to wave a quick flag: please check the trigger warnings on the very first page, as this one won’t be for everyone.
To really appreciate this story, I had to completely shift my expectations. I went into it expecting a fantasy romance (which, in fairness, is how the blurb sells it), but that’s not quite what it is. Instead, it felt much more like an incredibly easy-to-follow YA slice-of-life with elements of magical realism and romance. Think Practical Magic vibes—where the magic and romance are definitely part of the world, but they aren’t the entire plot.
At its core, this is Sylvie’s story. It’s about her coming to terms with who she is, mental illness and all. The mental health issues here are handled so beautifully and respectfully. It isn’t immediately obvious how deeply her OCD affects her self-perception and her obsession with beauty; the author handles it subtly, and the pieces only truly began to click for me later in the book. Initially, I chalked up her insecurities to typical teenage struggles without realizing the heavier weight of her OCD.
Not having OCD myself, I can’t speak to the exact representation, but I can say that Sylvie’s frustrations and hurdles felt incredibly palpable. In the author’s note, Alena Bruzas shares her own diagnosis with OCD, and her perspective was incredibly honest, vulnerable, and telling. That lived-in truth absolutely shines through the pages and makes the story hit that much harder.
Once I stopped treating this as a high-stakes fantasy and started viewing it as Sylvie’s personal journey, I enjoyed it so much more. That being said, I did find myself wishing for a bit more depth regarding the magic, the curse, and the family lore. I also would have loved to see the side characters and their friendships developed just a little further, as they could have added a really beautiful layer to Sylvie’s growth.
