This book was so cute! I really love a great witch coven read, and this didn’t disappoint, I loved Scarlett as a character, and the growth she experienced internally, with Nate, with her sisters, and especially with her mother. I wasn’t expecting the twist of saving the city, and how it was accomplished, but it really completed the story as a whole, I would definitely read a part 2 of this book!

I was gifted an ARC of this book, but all opinions expressed are my own.

I was very disappointed with this one. This was obviously advertised as a must read fall book with Gilmore Girl vibes. Gilmore Girls is probably my favorite show of all time so I was excited but this was not it.

I am going to be honest I could not even bring myself to finish this one. At times this felt like it was written by AI. There was way too much description in certain spots and not enough in others. The toxic relationships with family members was hard to read. This needs some work.

Impractical Magic wonderfully blends magic, romance, and personal struggle. The story begins with Scarlett, who hasn’t set foot in Oak Haven for ten years, ever since the last time the magic went wrong. Fleeing to San Francisco to escape her father’s death and the town’s unstable magic, she’s reluctantly pulled back when chaos ensues once again, and her sisters urgently call for help. Her return forces her to confront not only the magical disturbances but also the guilt that’s shaped her life for years.
We feel her burden as she struggles with both her emotions and the doubts surrounding her magical abilities.

Scarlett's unresolved feelings for childhood friend Nate add tension, with a “will they, won’t they” dynamic that’s as frustrating as it is engaging. Nate's patience and kindness make him perfect book boyfriend material, while Scarlett's emotional barriers make their relationship complicated.

One of the most fascinating aspects is Oak Haven’s magical forgetting charm, which erases memories of magic for those who leave town, except for witches like Scarlett. Unfortunately for her, the memories remain painfully vivid. Meanwhile, Oak Haven’s magic is failing, leading to bizarre incidents: house-sized pumpkins, rogue garden gnomes, and even a giant squid escaping from a book, causing chaos. Scarlett’s family inn is also riddled with random magical portals, transporting guests to strange places.

The arrival of mysterious magicians adds another layer of intrigue, particularly Maximillian, whose ability to take on a new persona each day leaves everyone wondering who he really is underneath his ever-shifting identity, and his potential connection to the magical disturbances plaguing the town make him a key figure in the unfolding mystery.

It’s an enchanting read that leaves you spellbound and eager for more.

#AD-PR PRODUCT Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to enjoy this book because the premise seemed great, but it is in DIRE need of some editing and the FMC was too unlikable for me.

It has a lot of potential with the Gilmore girls meets hocus pocus vibes, but the writing (especially the dialogue) was messy.

I wish this book was for me but sadly it fell flat 🥲 I like the blurb. I like the cover. But I think the execution is what I didn’t vibe with. This story is a bit hard to follow. It very much has promise but it just needs something else. Thank you for the ARC!! Definitely check this book out if you’re looking for a read for fall, who knows? It may just be your new favorite book.

I enjoyed the story and the potential it had. Sometimes I felt as if the storyline was not as well organised as it needed to be to make it an easy read for anyone, but I was able to follow along nicely and I liked the book. What I particularly enjoyed was the few sprinkles of references to other magical stories many of us know. I believe I recognised a Harry Potter reference for example. Not using the plot for the book, but as a side comment without naming HP. Kind of a "if you know the story you’ll know what I’m talking about"-situation. I liked that a lot. To discuss two of the main characters, Scarlett I found to be a nice FMC and an interesting person. What I had my difficulties with was her not communicating with her mom and others to solve issues and guilt from the past. Sometimes the plot might have benefited from some more communication on that front. Nate, as one of the main side characters, is a real cute character and I liked how he just loves people for who they are and helps out where he can. Scarlett's sisters Luna and Delilah were fun as well, but I felt as if they cold have gotten more spotlight. All in all a nice witchy story for October reading! I can recommend it to you all.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Impractical Magic is a cosy witch fantasy set in New England during the fall. There’s a magical mystery but set in the modern day with many pop culture references. It’s cute a Gilmore Girlsesque easy read

Review posted to GoodReads 29/9

Scarlett and Nate are a cute couple with a lot of shared history. I was rooting for them and the magic to get back on track. This is a cute, cozy read just in time for Fall.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book early in exchange for an honest review!

I actually would give this book 2.5 stars, but half stars can’t be done on here.

I wanted so badly to love this book. The setting and vibes itself are definitely cute and give off a witchy, fall vibes. However, I found the FMC to be quite insufferable and whiny. The MMC definitely made it better, however, I didn’t feel a huge connection between them until more toward the end. The idea behind the plot is good, but I felt like had some gaps and was predictable.

A witchy romance in time for spooky season! I think with this book, you know what you get going into it. It’s sweet, witty, and the right amount of fluffy. I think the premise and setting of the story is super fun and cutesie. If you’re looking for a light and spooky read, this would be a good one to try!

✨Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review✨

Are you looking for the perfect cozy autumnal read that will make you feel like you’ve fallen into a magical version of Stars Hollow? Then Impractical Magic by Emily Grimoire is just the novel that you’re looking for!

Characters
It was fun to see many similarities to characters from Gilmore Girls throughout this novel! It made me feel like I was revisiting some old friends. The cast of characters are quite diverse, and it was so fun to see them all come together to save their sweet town. It was also heartwarming to see characters with strained relationships grow closer together over the course of the novel.

Plot
Community is an integral part to this novel’s plot. In typical small town fashion, everyone knows everyone, which means when trouble strikes, there is no shortage of assistance available. And when the town needed help the most, the people pulled through, especially the Melrose family. There are quite a few pop culture/real world references peppered throughout the novel, which fit together with the overarching dilemma the town faces.

Setting/Vibes
The setting and overall vibes are the best part of this novel. I loved Emily Grimoire’s autumnal descriptions the most. They made me want to throw on my coziest sweater, pick up a warm drink, and go for a walk through some crunchy leaves. If you’re an “autumn” and are looking for those perfect Gilmore Girls vibes with a dollop of magic, then you’ll absolutely love this book!

🍂 Second Chance Romance
🍂 Small Town New England Charm
🍂 Sassy FMC
🍂 Cozy Autumnal Vibes
🍂 Reunited Family
🍂 Witches & Magicians

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.
When I read "For fans of Gilmore Girls" I knew I wanted to read this book. It is a cozy, magical read, perfect for this fall season.
This story follows Scarlett and her two sisters when magic gives them trouble in their small, forgettable town. The author did a great job creating a picture of the town and building the relationship of the sisters. The author did a great job keeping me engaged with the story line and interested to see what would happen next. Parts of the story I wish could have been developed further, but overall found it to be a sweet, easy to read book.

I -really- wanted to like this book, I did. Gilmore Girls and Halloween? Sign me up. However, this was nearly a DNF for me. Would have been my first. But I was trying to stick it out. I can say that I finished it, but I just did not enjoy it. I felt like it was forced, that the plot was subpar, it could have been great. But I just didn't care for it. The characters tended to drive me crazy, and not in the good sort of ways. I would not recommend this at all. So disappointed. NetGalley - I appreciate the opportunity to review the ARC of this, but it will not be joining my ever growing collection.

I’ll be completely honest here, was it cheesy? Absolutely, yes it was. However sometimes that’s exactly what you need in a book. It was cozy. It was nostalgic. It was relatable. It was fun.

Once I started reading it, I did not want to put it down. It had same vibe as all of our favorite 90s and early 2000s witchy TV shows; mixed in with a Stars Hollow-esque town. Every turn the storyline took was the right one. I wouldn’t change a single thing and that’s rare.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher (thank you!) but my review is my honest opinion.

This was a cute cozy small town romance set in a magic town. The story was sweet, the characters (a family of witches running the inn) were fine. The main romance (with spice) was good. My main objection was the writing. While the descriptive portions were fantastic, sometimes the conversations felt stilted. As the book continued this did improve somewhat. However, the pacing throughout was a bit jarring. Sometimes there were time skips to bring the characters elsewhere, and it was jarring. The resolution to the main conflict was weirdly dragged out (a whole year?!) and then they skipped over a big chunk of the reunion and resolution.
Overall it was a good cozy book for fall vibes.

Unfortunately I found this a difficult read. I struggled with the writing and it took away from the story.

The concept of the story sounded good and there were some fun parts. It did give off some cosy read vibes!

I love this book. It was the perfect witchy story to get me into that fall mood. It gave me warm cozy vibes. I cant recommend it enough. I love the slow burn and second chance. I hope for a second book! If you want a fun witchy read in a small town this is your book! I liked the magicians vs witches in the book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 stars. Impractical Magic was a fun, magic-y read! Scarlett is called back to her hometown of Oak Haven when something is affecting the magic in town and her family needs her help fixing it. There’s also some second chance romance with her old almost-boyfriend, Nate. Overall this had an interesting take on magic and lots of adventures.

This was a great read to start off spooky season. The story of the estranged sisters coming together, bringing back their memories was a heartwarming one. The magical aspect brough whimsy, and a cozy feel to reading this book.

I really wanted to like this book. Cozy small-town/witchy/second-chance romance is right up my alley!

Unfortunately, it took so long to get to the heart of the conflict. And while you learn who one of the bad guys is, you never find out who the Big Bad is. As far as I know, this is a standalone book. And having a vague Boss who is never revealed just doesn't work for me. I wish it was a more simple antagonist if it really is just a standalone. This book could easily be 30-50 pages shorter if it got to the point faster.

As for the romance, I don't mind slow burn (I'm a huge fan of Assistant & Apprentice to the Villain IYKYK), but I want excessive amounts of internalized pining in my slow burns. Nate is Down Bad for Scarlett, but we don't learn much about him beyond what we see in the story. And Scarlett just seems like she's lusting after him, not so much in love with him.

I agree with other reviews that describe the characters as flat. And Scarlett's internal struggles get repetitive.

This book will be available on 10/1.

** I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.**