I'm giving this book a 3.5 ★’s.

This book follows estranged sister Scarlett Melrose who receives a call from one of her sisters, she immediately knows something is wrong. The magic at their mother’s inn and all of Oak Haven has gone awry, and they need her help to save it. Magic is a huge park of the town and its hidden from the outside.

Nate and Scarlett pick up where things left off years ago, but can they truly make it work and how when Scarlett lives in San Francisco. Scarlett has a bad past with Oak Haven and spells going wrong, making it harder to be there and stay. Can her being back really help the town and everything going on and to mend the past with family and friendships.

I enjoyed how easy this book was to read and felt like witchy vibe to Gilmore Girls in book form. Cute romance that's not to heavy on the topic. Mending family bonds and just talking to family and the community you live in. Nothing was shocking in the book which was nice to have a cozy book with witches and spells involved, with a slight dark past to Oak Haven.

Not my cup of tea, a bit too cutsey for my liking unfortunately. I feel like the marketing about gilmore girls meeting practical magic is not accurate.

Impractical Magic is a cute and quirky read with a charming premise. The magical mishaps and cozy vibes made it an easy book to relax with, and there were definitely some laugh-out-loud moments. That said, the plot felt a little thin at times, and some of the characters didn’t feel fully developed. It’s fun while it lasts, but didn’t leave a big impression once I finished. If you're in the mood for something light and whimsical, it’s worth a try—just don’t expect anything too deep.

It was alright. I wanted to like this book so bad, but I felt like the story could have been so much more.

Ok, I picked up this book because it was billed as Gilmore Girls meets Charmed. But, the only thing Gilmore Girls about it is that it is set in a small town where everyone knows each other.

I wanted to like this book SO BADLY based on the premise (witches, magic, gilmore girls!) but I felt like the story could have been so much more. Essentially, the magic source in town gets tampered with and must be fixed or all the witches lose their magic. The main character, Scarlett, sets out to make it right with the help of her ex-boyfriend (who is not magical) that she hasn't seen in 10 years because she fled town after high school.

Overall, the book had a sweet romance, but everything about the characters and the plot I felt could have been developed a little more, which would have make the story better.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the advanced copy for review.

Impractical Magic is a quirky and whimsical take on modern witchcraft, blending magical mishaps with heartfelt moments. While the concept is fun and the characters are charming, the pacing feels uneven, and some plot threads don’t fully develop. It’s an enjoyable read, but not as spellbinding as it could have been.

If you’re looking for a cozy, magical escape with a touch of romance, Impractical Magic by Emily Grimoire delivers exactly that. This book feels like stepping into a crisp autumn afternoon, where the scent of cinnamon lingers in the air and the possibility of enchantment is just around the corner.

Scarlett Melrose, the reluctant middle sister, is called back to her hometown of Oak Haven when her family’s inn falls under a mysterious curse. She’s spent years avoiding her past, but now she has no choice but to face it—along with her old flame, Nate, who is just as charming (and frustrating) as ever. What follows is a delightful mix of spellwork gone wrong, second-chance romance, and the kind of small-town magic that makes you want to curl up with a cup of tea and never leave.

What I loved most about this book was its atmosphere. Grimoire crafts a world that feels warm and inviting, even as the stakes rise. The witchy aesthetic is woven seamlessly into the story, making it perfect for fans of Gilmore Girls meets Charmed. The romance is a slow burn, the family dynamics are heartfelt, and the magic is just the right amount of unpredictable.

While the plot isn’t groundbreaking, it’s exactly the kind of book you reach for when you want something comforting yet engaging. If you love small-town settings, a touch of whimsy, and characters who feel like old friends, Impractical Magic is worth adding to your reading list.

Let me start this review by stating that writing a cameo that included felon 45 was a fucking wild and terrible decision and that automatically made me deduct 2 stars, even though I should have probably DNFed immediately when that popped up. As far as the rest of the book goes, I originally received this book as an ebook, but was struggling with the dialogue so I decided to wait until it came out as an audiobook and I think that made all the difference. Because this was inspired by Gilmore Girls, it was easier for the fast pace dialogue to come across via audio and while I thought this was a cute book overall despite the glaring problem mentioned at the beginning of this review, it took a little time for me to get into it. The MC and her family started out insufferable and it felt like the author was more concerned about how many pop culture references she could put in at the beginning. I think she finally found her stride about 2/3 through the story when it longer really resembled Gilmore Girls. I think this really could have benefitted from another round of edits and sensitivity readers to really flesh out some of the issues. Thank you to NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Impractical Magic
By Emily Grimoire
Narrated by Kate Handford
3.5 ⭐️

Overall, I liked this cozy, witchy book. I think it suffered slightly with having 3 (maybe 4) distinct story lines. They completed at times instead of complimenting each other which caused the story to lose some luster overall. I liked the FMC and the MMC was okay (circle back to the plot line issue). There was some solid romantic tension and banter which was a definite plus. I loved the town and the residents there. I would have adored the FMCs family but I hated how they treated the FMC. Which lead to me disliking how one or two “sorry”s rolled that plot line up like it wasn’t a big deal. When all is said and done, I really thought his was cute. I didn’t go too deep with most of it and enjoyed the ride.

This was absolutely adorable with the small town vibes and whimsical magical vibes. Absolutely recommend!

Sometimes you just need a book that takes you on a magical journey. Emily Grimoire delivers that and more.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book is ok! The problem with magic in town was slightly more interesting to me, as I wasn't really invested in the relationship between Scarlett and Nate, especially when it felt like a random misunderstanding kept them apart (and more misunderstandings kept happening). I wasn't a huge fan of the narrative voice as well, I think it came off as too plucky, and in combination with an equally plucky set of characters, it felt a bit off balance for me.

Impractical Magic by Emily Grimoire was a great fall read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved the small town cozy vibes combined with slow burn & grumpy/shine. Such a fun read!


Thank you to NetGalley, the author, & the publisher for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A delightful blend of whimsy and charm, this book weaves a tale of magic, self-discovery, and the occasional mishap. Grimoire’s writing is light-hearted and full of personality, with characters you can’t help but root for as they navigate a world where magic doesn’t always go according to plan. It’s a fun, enchanting read that leaves you smiling.

I really wanted to enjoy this but it just didn’t meet the mark. It was a good concept and the blurb felt like it would be something I would love but it just didn’t deliver

Loved the premise of this but struggled to connect to the characters which is something that I have to do to really enjoy a book, sadly just not for me.

The idea of this story sounded perfect. I love witch/autumn/cosy/small town reads. In the magical town of Oak Haven, magic is not behaving. Scarlett lives in San Francisco and receives a call from her estranged sister and immediately knows something is seriously wrong. Scarlett is the middle child who left Oak Haven nearly ten years ago. She returns home to help and runs into her old best friend Nate, who she left behind. Scarlett needs to help her family solve this magical mess but some spells come with great danger.
This book had some promising elements but I just didn’t connect with the characters. The writing was really good and the town sounded quirky and cosy but I just could not get into it.

I’ve been reading so many witchy books lately, there’s just something about them that make me love them! This book was so cute and cozy, perfect for a palate cleanser from some of the heavier things I’ve been reading. It made me giggle and I really enjoyed Scarlett and Nate!

Gilmore girls meets charmed is right!!! If like me you read pumpkin spice cafe but thought it needed more magic and witches you'll love this!
Some parts leaned into the classic tropes but honestly I feel like that's what your after with a book like this!