We've made it, folks! It's the final day of our first ever readalong here on our blog! I'm so happy so many people joined in. Thank you so much for coming on this journey with me!
Today we're completing the final chapters of Sweet & Bitter Magic. One could say it's bitter sweet! (Bad joke, Cori.) We're finishing chapters 23-27 and thus is my final warning to only carry on reading this post once you have finished the book!
I'll be selecting a comment at random from the past week to win a free OwlCrate box in the coming days! I'll give people until Tuesday, May 11th to finish!
Chapter 23:
Tamsin, barely able to stand, reflects on the fact she was willing to use dark magic to fight her sister. Noticing Wren’s broken arm, she slowly heals it. Grappling with her feelings of guilt, she notices that she’s beginning to experience pleasant things around her, like nice smells and vibrant colors. Noticing Marlena move slightly, Tamsin is immediately at her side. Marlena scrambles away and attempts to attack her with dark magic, but nothing happens. What Wren did was block Marlena’s access to magic, meaning the thread between them was broken but her sister could live on.
Marlena reveals she doesn’t hate Tamsin, she resents her. And with that Wren leaves the sisters to talk, but of course, Tamsin follows her, because feelings.
Chapter 24:
On their trek back to the academy, Tamsin admits she is in love with Wren (awwwww!) and that it’s obvious that Wren loves her back. She thinks she can feel love despite her curse because of Tamsin’s love for her. Queue smooches. Marlena (who is returning as well now that she has no magic), interrupts the happy pair.
Chapter 25:
Without the dark magic, Marlena is starting to get back to her old self. Once back at the academy, Marlena and Tamsin face Vera together, but to their surprise, Vera doesn’t want to punish Tamsin any more than she already has. Tamsin also gives her boon to Wren, who immediately uses it to request that Tamsin’s banishment and curse be lifted so she can help heal the harm that’s been done and assuage her guilt. Vera in the end grants this. Marlena opts to leave Within to see the world, and Wren and Tamsin will go with her at the start of her journey.
As the sisters say goodbye, not all is healed between them, but there is hope for the future.
Chapter 26:
As Wren and Tamsin travel back to Ladaugh, it becomes apparent just how much destruction the dark magic had caused. Wren is worried about what she is going to find when she gets back to her father, and if he’s alive, how he will feel when she reveals who she truly is.
Back at her cottage she meets Tor, who was indeed looking after her dad while she was away. He is alive, and better yet, when Wren reveals that she is a source and she wants to go live and train in the Witchlands, he gives her his blessing. As they leave, Wren makes Tamsin cut off her long braid. Change is in the air!
Chapter 27:
Tamsin and Wren visit Tamsin’s old cabin one last time to say goodbye. It is, of course, a sweet and bitter moment.
Questions:
Not a lot of questions for the final day! Give me your final thoughts on the book! Did you get all the answers you wanted? Let me know your favourite part!
Once again thank you so much for joining in the readalong! I'm so pleased with how it went for our one ever! I can't wait to do this again later in the month with our April book!
