I was lucky enough to receive a proof copy of A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping through NetGalley, and it completely stole my heart. This is exactly what cosy fantasy should be - warm, sweet, a little bit magical, and full of heart.

The idea of a magical inn that quietly attracts those who need it most is just so comforting, and I absolutely adored the eclectic cast of characters. I'm such a sucker for found family stories, and this one had that in abundance.

Also - the romance?! Grumpy x grumpy in the best way, with just the right amount of tension and softness. It’s easy to underestimate cosy books, but this one has surprising emotional depth too. It made me feel things I wasn’t expecting, in the best possible way.

A five star read. I didn’t want to leave this world.

I absolutely adored The Secret Society of Irregular Witches, and so jumped at the chance to read an advance copy of Sangu’s new book. And reader, it did not disappoint! All the wonderful characters and cosy setting from the last book were there, and I particularly enjoyed the found family aspects of this. For me, the first section felt a little jumbly, but after Luke appeared, it seemed to find its stride and was off. I didn’t think it needed the added spice either, and I felt this was included more for the sake of current trends than anything it brought to the book or its characters. The scene almost seemed a little embarrassed by itself as if the author really didn’t want to write it that way, but that being said, it was a wonderful read, which I greatly enjoyed and would have no hesitation in recommending. Many thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is the perfect blend of cozy fantasy, charming humor, wholesome (yet delightfully flawed) characters, and a heartwarming found family. If, like me, you adored The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, you’ll likely appreciate the same enchanting, character-driven storytelling in this book. While nothing quite matches TVSSOFW, this was a light, funny read that I couldn’t put down.

The story follows Sera Swan, a witch exiled from her community after losing her magical powers due to performing forbidden magic—resurrecting her great-aunt, the only family she has left. Years pass, and Sera finds solace in running a magical inn with her aunt, an inn that only appears to those who truly need it. Enter a cast of lovable, chaotic, and complex characters who turn the inn into a true home.
Sera never truly gave up on her magic, so when Luke arrives at the inn—driven by his desire to give his extraordinary little sister a place to belong—things take a turn for the unpredictable.

Nowadays, many books strive for diversity (which I wholeheartedly support), but at times representation can feel forced or tokenized. That’s not the case here. The inclusion of neurodivergent and disabled characters feels natural and well-integrated, adding authenticity and depth to the story rather than ticking a box.

While the pacing could have been smoother—starting off slowly before rushing into the conclusion—this didn’t take much away from my overall enjoyment. Some pivotal moments, especially in relation to the magical system, could have benefitted from a more balanced buildup.
Still, claiming your power and embracing your chosen family remains an emotional and resonant theme throughout the book.

In the end, A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is a cozy, heartwarming read filled with humor and love. It’s perfect for fans of light fantasy who are looking for a story about second chances, self-acceptance, and the magic of finding a home—whether through magic or the people who make a place feel like one.

A huge thank you to Hodder & Stoughton & NetGalley for the ARC!

I don’t usually read fantasy or romance but unexpectedly enjoyed The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches after receiving it in a book swap a couple of years ago.

While not a sequel, this is every bit as cute, cosy and heartwarming as TVSSOIW. It features a similarly diverse cast of characters and explores themes of found family, belonging and self-acceptance.

The magic system isn’t super developed and may not satisfy hardcore fans, but this would be perfect for those who enjoy cosy, low-stakes fantasy like Legends & Lattes.

I still can’t say I’m converted to fantasy or romance but this was an enjoyable read and it’s good to read something different every once in a while. It’s also great to see a writer in this space who isn’t a zionist or transphobe 👏🏻

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for the eARC.

I loved The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches so I was very excited to read this book and, although I did prefer that book, A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping was still such a sweet and cosy read.

The found family in this book was fantastic. I loved all of the characters and their individual personalities were so interesting and their dynamic was great to read! I loved how they all had such distinct personalities and were all well established as individuals, but they worked so well together as a unit. The setting of the inn was also so magical!

I liked the romance in this book, but at times it did feel like the pacing was off. The romance isn't the main feature of the book though so this didn't bother me too much.

I really liked the Sangu's adult debut, but reading that was sufficient. Same formula, different characters and setting. It would work if I were specifically looking for this exact kind of read or at the airport but that's not how I read it, so I suppose it's a hard one to sell.

Full review to come

This book was everything I hoped for after TVSSOIW, warm, whimsical, and absolutely adorable. We follow Sera, an exiled witch who has lost most of her magic, as she tries to juggle running a cozy little inn, managing her wonderfully weird found family, and dealing with the unexpected arrival of Luke and Posy.

The real star of the show however has to be Roo-Roo, the undead rooster. Yes, you read that right and yes, he's perfect!!

The whole story has major warm and fuzzy winter vibes. It’s one of those books you can curl up with and fly through in no time. Light, charming, and totally comforting.

After I loved the author’s previous witch book, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, I was definitely looking forward to this title. I am incredibly grateful to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with an eARC!

In her childhood, Sera Swan was the most powerful witch of her generation. Unfortunately, she lost most of her magic after the successful resurrection of her greataunt. Ever since then, she lives in exile in a magical inn hosting a colorful mix of guests. When the inn’s magic spell leads the grumpy witch historian Luke to her door, it rekindles Sera’s hope to find and decipher a spell that could restore her magic.

The story immediately charmed me. Sera is a complex protagonist, who has had many experiences even before the beginning of the story. She longs for her magic and tries not to let it get to her, even though it is a constant of her character. It stays pervasive despite the loving found family around her. Luke is similarly lonely, even though he seems to have his life under control. It is hard for him to admit that looking for a new apartment to live in for him and his sister are not the only reasons why he is staying at the inn.

The characters give this book so much life. The inn’s guests form a bizarre but loving constellation next to Sera and Luke, and are always present with their humor and unconditional support. Sera’s resurrected greataunt Jasmine with her accidentally also resurrected pet rooster, the cursed speaking fox Clemmie, the determined yet slightly misled gardener Mathilda, the constantly armor-wearing knight Nicholas or Sera’s younger cousin Theo, who is also a witch - they all add so much to the story. Even the spelled inn itself seems alive in its continous effort to protect everyone. The breadth of characters does not mean that they stay shallow: everyone gets enough time to overcome their own struggles.

The plot follows Sera’s attempts at finding and translating the rare restoration spell, and at obtaining its obscure ingredients. The label “cozy fantasy” fits completely - there is little direct action and the suspense stems mostly from character develpoments. The pages seem to fly by as Sera has to not only learn to understand her magic, but also herself.

Despite all the magic, the book is quite realistic in regard to its modern relationships and the effects of trauma. It can be painful to read about the characters’ efforts, their need for closeness and fear of rejection. Those parts are given a lot of care, they feel so authentic that I almost forgot I was reading fantasy at times. That makes it even more rewarding to spend this story following Sera along and finding a satisfying conclusion.

And what a beautiful ending it was! I was laughing and crying even while riding the train. The community of all those different people and their mutual acceptance, a magical house, a well-written romance (even as someone who is rather allergic to romance, I could entirely enjoy this one), a lot of fun and a bit of heartbreak that is healed with cinnamon rolls and pancakes. How could I not recommend this book to everyone?

When Sera was fifteen, she was possibly one of the most powerful witches in UK. But when great-aunt died, Sera decided to resurrect her and due to this, lost almost all of her powers, was betrayed by her best friend and became excluded out of which community. Fifteen years later, she is still mostly powerless, runs an inn with her grand-aunt and quirky guests, but she still misses the time where she had all her powers. So when a chance of getting them back appears in her hands, Sera doesn't hesitate before doing everything she can to achieve her goal.

This is a cozy, warm novel with charming characters, that take you on a spectacular adventure and make you think how your past actions have affected your present. Each character is significant and diverse, making all of them a found-family with their own quirks and different, precious relationships. Although the plot was mostly predictable (especially when it came to romance), I honestly didn't mind it at all. It was an easy read, which I could take out during rainy days, when I wanted to relax after work or on the weekends. I read another book by Mandanna previously (The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches), which I adored and A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping was quite similar to it, although I still prefer Society to the Inn. All in all, this was a nice, cozy read which I would recommend to people, who usually enjoy these kind of books (especially the ones with quirky witch stuff).

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions!

What a wonderful story! This book is like a warm hug on a cold winter's morning. I'm definitely in my cozy fantasy era.

I absolutely adored the found family trope in this book and all the secondary characters were amazing too. I also admire Sangu's ability to write in real world issues like bigotry, racism and immigrants navigating the world into the story but manages to still retain the joy of the book. I loved Sera and Luke's relationship. I loved the fact that the romance was almost secondary in the book, in lieu of protecting those you have chosen as your family.

Ultimately, this book is about sacrificing for those you love and doing the right thing even if it means giving up something that you thought meant the world to you. Sangu made me laugh and cry as is her style. She weaves magic in her story telling and I would read anything she writes.

Can I please live in this book? This was magical, comforting, wholesome, hopeful, and cozy wrapped perfectly into one. But now I’m so sad that it’s over.
The writing flowed seamlessly and I found myself smiling in some parts while my heartstrings were tugged at in others. The humor, the romance, the atmosphere, the foundfamily, everything was just delightful. I love how each character feels real and I want to protect (almost) every one forever. Books like these make me feel safe and welcomed.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this arc!

I think I was a little spoiled by the author’s previous magical novel “The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches”, which was delightful and full of charming characters. By contrast I found this a paler version of a similar story. The plot was pleasant enough, that of a young witch who lost her magical powers living in a magical inn. It’s a tale of found family, a romance and a realisation of what’s most important in life, but I was disappointed that I just didn’t connect with the characters in the same way or feel the same sense of warmth and humour as I did with the Irregular witches.

Perhaps the plot could have been stronger with more adversity along the way and the romance could have had more of a build-up and some of the ‘colourful’ characters could have been less bland. Or maybe it’s just crotchety old me who doesn’t quite get the intended heart-warming feel of this book, so make sure you read some of the many 5&#9733 reviews out there as well.

Reviewer’s note: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is a cozy, heartfelt fantasy full of charm, grief, healing, and just the right dash of magic.

Sera Swan inherits a magical inn after the death of her great-aunt, only to discover it’s more than she bargained for—emotionally and magically. The Weatherbone Inn is alive in its own quiet way, responding to its guests and its keeper. As Sera struggles to make peace with her past and claim her future, she’s surrounded by eccentric guests, loyal friends, and memories both painful and precious.

Sangu Mandanna’s writing is warm and gentle, with a strong emotional core. This book explores themes of identity, belonging, and moving forward after loss. The romance is light and sweet, but the real strength lies in its found family, the inn’s personality, and Sera’s journey of self-acceptance.

If I had one tiny critique, it would be that the story leans more on atmosphere and emotional depth than plot-driven action—but for a cozy fantasy, that’s part of its magic.

Highly recommended for fans of Legends & Lattes, The House in the Cerulean Sea, or anyone looking for a witchy, comforting read with real heart.

Thank you very much to the Publisher and Netgalley for granting me access to my most anticipated read, not of this year, but of the last yearS. I am all for waiting longer when the result is a good book. Sangu Mandanna won me over with the Irregular Witches. This was supposed to be the only romance book I'll read this year, which makes it unfortunate that I don't think this is a romance book. It's a cozy fantasy book. The found family was great, the side characters were great. I didn't feel the chemistry between the main love interests ( which makes a romance for me ), but the MCs are enjoyable. Would have wishes for maybe fewer domestic scenes, fewer characters and a tad more storyline and romantic built up. I overall enjoyed this, just not as much as the prior novel by Mandanna.

Thank you to Hodderbooks and netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna has been one of my most anticipated reads for a long while. I believe it started in 2022 when I first read The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and was enamoured by the brand that Sangu Mandanna brought to a story of enchantment, found family, unconditional love and acceptance and cozy romance. Trust me when I tell you that A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is of this exact same brand but made to be more.
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is EVERYTHING Irregular Witches is, but more. It’s so obvious from the very beginning that Sangu Mandanna has really dug deep and improved her craft. The story immediately hooks you in with Sera resurrecting her great aunt Jasmine with the help of a mysterious and obnoxious fox, only to lose the magic that once marked her as one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Immediately, the emotional pull is there and along with it is an ache that I bet every individual who was once considered gifted and talented only to grow into an adult at a loss against the world will be able to understand. The story starts by giving us a couple of chapters to learn about Sera as a fifteen year old – who she was, what was important to her, what she stood to lose, what she was willing to give up – before showing us her journey to regain what she lost as a 30 year old, whilst learning what’s truly important to her along the way.
The second thing I wanted to mention was the characters! A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping has a slough of characters that are eccentric yet lifelike. They’re vibrant and practically leap of the page. Whilst I wasn’t sure about them at first, they soon grew on me. Sangu Mandanna showed me why I needed to love them with their vulnerabilities and their softness. I never really expected to love Clemmie as much as I did or adore Nicholas and Theo. They were all just a big found family full of love, laughter and silliness. I love that they all found their place at the Batty Hole. I find myself wishing that Batty Hole and its inhabitants were real.
Alongside the themes of found family, there were also threads of how ethnic minorities are treated in the U.K, defiance against the guild, and finding a place of belonging. The story was really healing and full of heart and soul.
All in all, I would recommend this book to people who loved Irregular Witches, for more of the same but kicked up a notch.

I adored The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, so was very excited when I saw this book on Netgalley!
It did not disappoint and I loved the story being centred on the magical inn and those that pass through or live there. There were some fantastic characters that I was truly so invested in (especially Clemmie and Matilda!) but nothing tops the dynamics between Sera and Luke. I loved the found family theme, was immersed in the magical cosy fantasy and through the banter, my heart felt so full at the end. A truly enjoyable read!

Such a beautiful book and one I will be buying for my shelf. The characters are ones you will support and come very close to The House of Cerulean Sea for me in the sense of how I’d die supporting all of these characters. The story was really good and I loved the craziness mixed in amongst the story which does bring these characters off the page for me. Beautiful book definitely one that will stay with me

This is a cute cosy fantasy about a witch running an inn. The first 20% or so was quite slow and I did almost put it down but I’m glad I picked it up again! I preferred this to Sangu’s first book. There’s really good autistic representation as well as commentary on society and how if you don’t ’fit in’ you are othered and ostracised. There’s found family, magic and a strong sense of place.

If you liked Sangu’s first book, you’ll like this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc

Another fabulous read from Sangu Mandanna. Cosy and full of found family. Thanks to Netgalley for early access to this story.

Heartwarming, cozy, and slyly humorous, Mandanna's writing never disappoints. There is so much to like about this. I love a plot that lets you in on its secret early on and keeps you hooked to confirm whether your hunches are right. The found family in this is a delight - all the denizens of the inn are bright and lively and create fun subplots. The cast of characters in this were so varied and all treated with the respect and space they deserved in the narrative. Alex's antics, Matilda and Jasmine, Posy and Clemmie, and all the others captured my heart just as much as Luke and Sera did. And Luke and Sera, for me, were the highlight of this. Mandanna has managed to weave extraordinarily complex and sometimes heavy topics into a light and joyous book, and have the overall tone and narrative be enhanced and not diminished. I am still somewhat in awe about some of the lines in this, and I have a feeling they will be stuck in my head for a while.