The Glittering Edge by Alyssa Villaire

The quick cut: A teen girl has to navigate a small town with witches and curses to save her mother. 

A real review: 

 Every small town has its rumors and secrets that everybody knows about. What would you do if it turned out that those secrets were a reality? This is what is happening to Penny. 

 Idlewood, Indiana is a small town filled with rumors. The one that everyone knows about though is how the De Lucas are witches who cursed the wealthy Barrion Family. If a Barrion falls in love with you, you'll die by the curse. That alone is a reason for Penny to avoid both families. Unfortunately, when Penny's mom ends up in an accident and holding on for dear life, she has no choice but to get close. Can she end the curse and save her mom? 

 I like my stories fast and on the shorter end, so I knew this one would be a struggle for me. It's a long one at over 400 pages, but the journey that Penny goes on is interesting and the partnerships along the way make it fun. 

 The witches and curses might not be a new concept, but the way it's used here is smart. The thought and explanations that go behind how it works adds an element of realism to it. You can't just make a curse - it has a cost. It has limitations in how it gets be removed. This was easily my favorite part of the story. 

 Sometimes it felt like the story dragged a bit to make the page count longer. For how long it is, I expected to really see more depth in the characters. The focus on the present situation kept from truly getting to know them. I would've preferred more character work over a romantic subplot here. 

 A fantasy story with a well built magical system. 

My rating: 3.75 out of 5