The Fairest Kind of Love by Crystal Cestari

From Goodreads,

""Amber! I never even thought of that! Maybe she can tell you your match."

Whoa. Now that's interesting.

Amber Sand has spent half her life solidifying other people's happily-ever-afters. As a matchmaker, she has the ability to look into anyone's eyes and see their perfect match. But lately, her powers have been on the fritz, and not only is she totally unsure whether her matches are true, she can't see anyone in the eyes of her boyfriend Charlie Blitzman. With Amber and her friends graduating high school and about to take off for various colleges, Amber is hoping to have one last carefree summer-but she's also dying to find a way to fix her powers, and learn, for better or worse, if she and Charlie are truly meant to be.
So when an online matchmaker named Madame Lamour comes to Chicago, Amber sets out to talk to her and find out who her match is once and for all. Of course, when it comes to the magical community, nothing's ever that easy, and Amber soon finds herself caught up in a breathless showdown that involves a fairy family feud and a magical-creature auction--and requires teaming up with a certain siren nemesis. Can Amber and her friends save the day one more time before setting off for their new lives? And will Amber ever learn whether Charlie is her one true love?
With tons of laugh-out-loud moments, appearances by all your favorite characters, and one totally tearful reveal, you won't want to miss a single swoony moment of this romantic conclusion to the Windy City Magic trilogy."

Goodreads - The Fairest Kind of Magic

I never know how to feel when I reach the final book in a series.  I'm either super excited that the series is over or I go into a depression because it has ended.  The Fairest Kind of Love is the final book in the Windy City Magic series and again, I don't exactly know how to put my feelings into words.  However, I will try my best to review this book and give the series a fair conclusion.

The Fairest Kind of Love follows matchmaker Amber as she is trying to figure out why she can't clearly see matches anymore.  Amber soon meets a young girl who is also a matchmaker.  Unfortunately, the girl's parents aren't understanding of her gift and think she needs to conceal her magic.  Meanwhile, Ivy is slowly dying since losing her siren powers by trying to save her sister.  Amber and Amani decide to take a road trip to meet the matchmaker's fairy family to try to save Ivy and get maybe fix Amber's matchmaking.  Things quickly spiral out of control as Ivy meets her match and he flies off in a fit of rage.  Soon they are all trying to save each other before things get way out of hand.

This book was my absolute least favorite out of the entire series.  It felt so forced and so scattered.  There was so much happening between Amber not seeing matches clearly, Ivy dying, Jane the matchmaker with awful parents and no support, and her brother Peter who basically got high on magic and spiraled out of control.  I wish that just a couple issues had been selected and used instead of trying to cram every idea that ever happened with the series into one book.  I honestly felt like Jane the child matchmaker could have been left out of the entire thing.  She had such a minor role in the entire book that I don't really know why she was in it to begin with.  Also Peter and Ivy's "love story" really took away from Charlie and Amber.  This book was a hot mess and had way too much happening in the magical realm.

On the flip side, I got really nostalgic when Amber and Amani spent their last day together before Amani went to college.  It made me think back to my best friend and I on our last day before we both moved off to college.  We had lunch at a restaurant in our town.  Afterward, we literally stood in the parking lot crying and hugging because we didn't know what we were going to do without each other.  We laugh about it now and we have talked about how we both thought that our friendship wouldn't survive us being at college.  We both thought we would make new best friends and completely forget about each other.  Our friendship endured and we now live about 8 hours apart, showing that distance doesn't change things.  Getting to reminisce about moving to college was probably the best part of the book.

This book was a bit of a letdown.  I wish that it had been a little more organized and a little less cluttered in the storyline department.  Overall, it was a good series.  I would give the entire series a 4, but give this book only a 3.

The Sweetest Kind of Fate by Crystal Cestari

From Goodreads,

"GREAT. I've somehow found myself tangled up with a siren, a mermaid, and a homicidal wicked witch who once tried to strangle me to death. Way to go, Amber!

Amber Sand, legendary matchmaker, couldn't be more surprised when her archnemesis, Ivy, asks for her help. Ivy's sister, Iris, is getting married, and Ivy wants to prove her sister is making a huge mistake. But as Amber looks into Iris's eyes, there doesn't seem to be a problem-Iris has clearly found her match.

It seems happily-ever-after is in the cards, but when Iris seeks out a dangerous, life-altering spell, it's up to Amber and Ivy to set aside their rivalry and save the day.

As Iris puts everything on the line for love, Amber continues to wrestle with her own romantic future. Her boyfriend, Charlie, is still destined for another, and no matter how hard she clings to him, fear over their inevitable breakup shakes her belief system to the core.

Because the Fates are never wrong-right?"

Goodreads - The Sweetest Kind of Fate

I read the first book of this series a few weeks ago, not knowing it was part of a series.  I really enjoyed it even though it was centered around witches and their magical qualities.  I saw copies at Books-A-Million and knew I was going to go back to purchase them once I got paid.  The only problem is that when I went back they had already been purchased by someone.  I ended up ordering them online and I'm excited I can finally share my thoughts on the second book of the Windy City Magic series.

The Sweetest Kind of Fate picks up where The Best Kind of Magic left off.  Amber is still head over heels for Charlie, even though she can see his match and it isn't her.  Amber's arch-nemesis Ivy comes to her for help.  Ivy's sister Iris wants to become a mermaid so she can be with the love of her life Brooke.  Amber confirms they are meant to be, but Iris seeks help from Victoria who has a troubling history with Amber's mother.  Amber soon finds that Iris is in a lot of trouble and they have to save her.  While trying to save Iris, Amber comes clean to Charlie about his match.  She must try to keep it together while juggling relationships, crazy witches, and her future.

This book follows right behind the first book, and this book felt easier to read.  There were fewer magical elements in my opinion.  I really liked that all the characters had some kind of development.  I feel like they were able to develop without having magic shoved down my throat every page.  I really liked the character development of Ivy.  We see her go from being a siren (someone who can manipulate people) to being just like everyone else.  I love that she finally got a solid role and was able to transition into a different person.  We see her literally soften from her hard ice queen persona.  I really feel that in the next book she will form a friendship with Amber, Amani, and Kim. 

This book really focused on love and relationships.  There was a quote at the end of the book that I absolutely loved.  It said,

"Love is a surrender, giving in to the unknown and hoping for the best."

I really like this quote because love is surrendering yourself to the person you love.  You have no idea what is going to happen in that relationship and you honestly hope for the best.  This entire quote sums up being in a relationship.  I know I definitely can look back and see this quote playing out with my boyfriend and me.  In a relationship, you surrender some of your wants and needs for the person you are in a relationship with.  My boyfriend gave up moving back to Missouri, while I gave up living in my hometown.  We lived two hours apart for two years and we were finally able to move in together.  We had no idea what to expect living with each other and we literally had to hope for the best.  It hasn't been easy by no means, but it has been a journey like none other.  We keep traveling into the unknown and hoping it all falls in place.

This book had fewer curse words than the first book.  I was upset that we saw less of Charlie in this book.  Naturally, it was because Amber and Charlie broke up, but I felt like he should have had more of a presence in the book so he could have character development like everyone else in the book.

Overall, this was a good secondary book.  Most second books in a series are either my favorite or the absolute worst.  This book was right down the middle and felt like the perfect bridge between the first book and the third.  I'm excited to get started on the final book in the series, The Fairest Kind of Love.  I give this book 4 stars.  Definitely read this if you read the first book!

The Best Kind of Magic by Crystal Cestari

From Goodreads,

"Amber Sand is not a witch. The Sand family Wicca gene somehow leapfrogged over her. But she did get one highly specific magical talent: she can see true love. As a matchmaker, Amber's pretty far down the sorcery food chain (even birthday party magicians rank higher), but after five seconds of eye contact, she can envision anyone's soul mate.

Amber works at her mother's magic shop--Windy City Magic--in downtown Chicago, and she's confident she's seen every kind of happy ending there is: except for one--her own. (The Fates are tricky jerks that way.) So when Charlie Blitzman, the mayor's son and most-desired boy in school, comes to her for help finding his father's missing girlfriend, she's distressed to find herself falling for him. Because while she can't see her own match, she can see his--and it's not Amber. How can she, an honest peddler of true love, pursue a boy she knows full well isn't her match?

The Best Kind of Magic is set in urban Chicago and will appeal to readers who long for magic in the real world. With a sharp-witted and sassy heroine, a quirky cast of mystical beings, and a heady dose of adventure, this novel will have you laughing out loud and questioning your belief in happy endings."

Goodreads - The Best Kind of Magic

I'm pretty open to reading any book, but I have always found mythical and magical books a struggle to read.  I read the first book in the Harry Potter series last year and really enjoyed it.  However, I had seen all of the movies when I read the book, which I feel made it a little easier to understand.  This book had a catchy cover and I decided to conquer it, especially since it had magic in the title.

Amber is from a prominent line of witches, except she isn't a witch.  Amber is a matchmaker.  She can look into the eyes of someone and instantly see their soul mate.  Charlie, a classmate, comes to Amber asking for help finding his soon-to-be stepmom who has gone missing.  Amber spends time trying to help him and in turn, sees his perfect match.  Amber tells herself to focus on the task and not fall head over heels for him.  Unfortunately for Amber, that is easier said than done.

When I first started this book it was a bit of a struggle.  It felt slow and I couldn't get into it.  I finally made myself sit down one evening and just read to at least page 100.  In that, I really got into the book.  This book is serious at times but has a very light and fun relationship building with Charlie and Amber.  I really liked the characters Amber and Amani.  Amber was a matchmaker born into a family of witches.  She was the odd duck in the family and I absolutely connect with that.  I've always felt like the odd kid of my family because I've been driven by such different goals than having kids as soon as possible.  I understood how Amber felt when Amber's mom would make comments about her not being a witch.  Some of my siblings have made comments about me going to college, and it leaves you with a weird feeling.  Amani was another character that I loved in the book because she was the selfless friend who would go to the end of the earth for Amber.  I like to think that I am similar to that.  Any of my friends could call and need something and I would help them the best I could.  I really wish Amani would have delved more into Amber's future because that would have been the best thing she could do as Amber's best friend.

There was some colorful language in this book and at times it felt unnecessary.  This book also has clear ties to Wiccan rituals and beliefs, but it never felt forced.  There are obvious magical creatures throughout the book such as leprechauns, goblins, witches, and so on.  Some people are uncomfortable with this, but it was all light and fun in my opinion. 

This was a good book and I had originally planned on reading just this one.  However, I do plan on reading the next two books in the series.  This is a fun and romantic read.  I give it 4 stars.