Not as good as her other book, it just didn’t hold the same kind of magic for me. I wasn’t that bothered about Sera and Luke and it dragged in parts. A very sad 3 stars. I loved the cosy vibes but just wanted a lot more from it.

I absolutely loved The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches so I was incredibly excited to dive into this one and so happy that it didn’t disappoint! Sangu Mandanna has such a gift for writing cosy magical stories that are full of warmth, heart and emotional depth.

In this story we follow Sera, a highly powered witch who as a teen made the decision to save the life of her great-aunt Jasmine which unknowingly meant she sacrificed her magic. The way that she came to terms with her new normal, by creating a magical inn which then became a sanctuary for others was so heartfelt. This was a real story of self-discovery, finding and accepting yourself, and opening your heart to new people. It was also ultimately about how a chosen family is bound by love, not blood.

The supporting cast of characters was absolutely wonderful. Each person had a distinct personality, and their dynamics felt so real and layered. I adored the found family aspect, everyone had their own journey of loss, abandonment, or rejection by their biological families, and they all found comfort and belonging in one another. The love and acceptance they showed, whether it was for Nicholas and his eccentricities, or Posy and her specific needs, felt entirely genuine and never performative. The representation in terms of age, ethnicity, health, and background was diverse, but it never felt like a checklist, it felt authentic and honest.

The romance was also sweet and added a gentle layer of emotional connection that never overpowered the central themes of healing, acceptance, and home.

Mandanna’s writing is magical in the most comforting of ways, and I just fell in love with these characters and this world. I closed the book feeling like I’d been wrapped in a warm hug and honestly, what more could you want from a cosy fantasy? 5 stars!

Rating: ★★★★½

I had this book on my radar for two years, so finally getting to dive into it felt surreal. Right from the start, A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping pulls you into a cozy, magical world full of heart and charm.

At first, I wasn’t sure what to think, I went in expecting it to follow the same magic system from The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. Instead, A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping sets its own course, and honestly, that surprised me.

It took me a little time to adjust. I had to let go of what I thought the book would be. But once I did, the story completely pulled me in. The characters feel so real, like they could step right off the page. I found myself genuinely irritated with a fox (a first for me) and falling in love with a pile of walking bones. I think that says a lot about the quality of the writing.

There’s a quiet kind of magic woven through the pages , it’s really not about saving the world, but about finding your place in it. I love that both this book and Irregular Witches now have room to shine on their own.

This story was everything I needed: cozy, a little chaotic, and full of heart. I feel honored that I got the chance to read it early! Thank you so much

Title: A Witches guide to magical inn keeping by
Rating: 4 1/2⭐️/5⭐️

Let me start this by saying “the very secret society of irregular witches” is one of my absolute favorite books ever, so I went into this with high expectations, and ur delivered!

Starting of strong
The characters:
Perfection, they were varied and layered and I instantly fell in love with everyone.
Some side characters maybe didn’t get as much depth as they descended simply due to there being quite a few of them but they were still well done and each had their own individual personality and it was just a perfectly adorable “found family” sort of situation between them all.

The relationships:
Were beautiful and filled me with happiness and warmth. That’s the best way I can put it. I think Mandanna excels at writing relationships and characters and she does it beaufitully.
My only teeny tiny complaint is, that I think there wasn’t enough tension and bound up between Luke and Sera but overall that was still a satisfying and beautiful romance story.

The setting:
I’m a sucker for anything with a sentient house and this definitely fit the bill. It could have had a bit more page time in my opinion BUT that’s a very personal opinion.
The Inn is a beautiful, magical and whimsical space that fit the story perfectly and I enjoyed it tremendously! Honestly I didn’t even need any actual plot I was just happy being there with everyone.

Which brings us to the next point, the plot:
Eh it was there it was fun but don’t go into this expecting anything major plot wise.
It’s a cute little story about finding your home and believing in yourself. And it was perfect in achieving that.
My only issue was the ending (don’t worry I wont spoil it), it’s also the only reason why this book didn’t get 5 stars for me. I just dislike these types of endings and I get it, it made sense for the big message and morale of the book but personally I just can’t stand this specific type of ending scenario.

Lastly the writing:
The writing is beautifully lyrical and full of whimsy, with a strong emotional core. That said, the book’s message about finding magic in the ordinary and embracing yourself just as you are was sometimes laid on a little thick. Which isn’t anything bad per se but at times it felt just a bit too on the nose.

Overall:
What can I say? I inhaled this book in less than 24 hours and now I’m sad it’s over.
It was beautiful and cozy and felt like a warm hug.
I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes cozy fantasy, cottage-core, rom-coms and the found family trope.

10/10

i am a bit conflicted on how to rate this one. all the discussion around childhood neglect and found family with the characters in the inn served as reminders of what humanity is capable of when we band together. however, the characterization of some of the characters especially with how the plot played out with the ending makes it hard for me to recommend to all students as a cozy fantasy dealing with those topics, but for some, this would hit so hard.

Well this was just lovely and even better than the first book. This is so heartwarming and fun with some great characters as well as a strong storyline. Just what I needed after some heavy reads. Highly recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

This was one of my most awaited books of the year - and the joy and excitement I felt when I received the advanced copy is hard to describe. I was so worried that the magic from the first book would be too difficult to recreate, but I can wholeheartedly share that this story was just as amazing!

I think the author’s superpower is her ability to create a story full of warmth, heart, and genuine magic. I adore the found‑family trope when it’s done right - in this book we have such a diverse mix of characters, all living together under one charming roof. If that's not enough to charm you, there's a zombie chicken, a talking fox, slightly scary villain, and a whole load of love, acceptance, and kindness.

I giggled, I cried, I laughed out loud, and even swore at some of the characters - so, if you love magic, chaos, and all the perfect vibes, you might adore this book as much as I did.

I can't wait to re-read it again in July, once it is fully out in the world!

4.75/5 ⭐

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

5/5 stars! Did I read this entire book in one sitting? Yes I did. Did I laugh and tear up in equal measure? Yep. I loved Sangu's first book and was ready for the coziness, found family, and romantic energy in this book...and boy did I find it. I will read anything this author writes. Add in a naughty fox and I was hooked!

A Witches’ Guide to Magical Innkeeping unfortunately didn’t live up to my expectations. I loved The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and have been counting down until the release of AWKTMI. The best way I can describe this book is average hence my three-star rating. There are things to link and things to not like.

The character work is once again done very well and pulled me in to care about the MC and her found family, I do love that trope. I sympathised with Sera and while not all her actions seem logical, I bought into her story arc.

Where the book lost me was the development of the love interest, it felt very unnatural and forced. I don’t know what the author was trying to achieve with the storyline, but it felt very stop start. Internally he is telling himself not to get involved and then with no motivation whatsoever is helping the MC. When the slow burn eventually ignites it’s in the most ridiculous circumstances that are so unbelievable I almost DNF’d the book there.

The overall plot was strong, and it had a lot of potential, the solutions to getting the magic back were cute and made sense. It really tied into the found family trope and getting the MC to believe in herself. Once that was solved the last 30%ish become very predictable and slightly convoluted. For me I could have done with a few less ‘twists’, it’s not what I want in a cosy read and again were way too predictable.

I did enjoy most of what I read, however A Witches’ Guide to Magical Innkeeping didn’t leave me thinking about it for weeks in the same way that The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches did. I’ll remember that I read this book but it’s not a memorable read.

“the very secret society of irregular witches” was one of my favourite reads of last year and sangu mandanna has done it again. This book is absolute perfection, five stars is not enough.
If you love cosy fantasy, or even if you don’t… this is the most adorable, wholesome read.
Following witch Sera who loses her magic after resurrecting her great aunt (and a zombie chicken) and her family of misfits in there quest to provide a refuge for anyone in need whilst trying to figure out how to get the magic to return. Throw in a little romance, a bad guy and an ex friendship and you have a story which rivals The house on the cerulean sea.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc of this one!

No one who likes books can escape the fact that cosy fantasy is a definite thing at the moment. And why not? In tough times we all want to hunker down with the literary equivalent of a cinnamon bun and a fleecy blanket. What is less acknowledged is that a lot of cosy fantasy is just, well, dull. Long descriptions of making tea do not an interesting book make, even if the person making tea is an ogress or a warrior with supernatual strength. Luckily for the cosy fantasy genre there is also some fantastic writing, and with A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping Sangu Mandanna cements her place at the top. How? By not forgetting that a book needs great characterisation, real conflict- plot and emotional - oodles of sexual tension, a sense of community and real peril. And that's exactly what we get here.
Sera was the greatest witch of her generation until, while still a teenager, she performed a spell so big she lost most of her magic. Now, fifteen years later, she still yearns for all she lost. Unfortunately she was also exiled from the magic Guild, and no one is allowed to help her try to find a way to repair herself. Instead she runs an Inn still protected by a spell she cast many years before, a spell which means only people who really need sanctuary can find their way there. Cue a motley selection of permanant guests including a witch who turned herself into a fox and an aspiring knight. And then two more guests arrive, Luke, a Guild member who feels like an outsider and his small sister, both in more need of sanctuary than Luke knows - and he may just be the person to help Sera find out how she can get her magic back.
Funny, sweet, sexy and tense, this is the perfect book for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Highly recommended.

Such a heartwarming story of found family and second chances. I was hoping for another novel of chockablock with witchy cosiness, carefully created characters, laugh out loud moments, and a robust magic system. This book did not disappoint at all! I truly adored the galaxy imagery for Ser's magic as well!

Reading this book was basically the equivalent of munching on a warm sticky cinnamon bun fresh out the oven or drinking an excessively sweetened cup of tea after an exceptionally awful day.

Our relatably grumpy (yet incredibly accepting and sweet) Sera Swan was once one of the most powerful witches in Britain. However, after she resurrected her beloved aunt with the help of a belligerent talking fox, her powers all but fizzled out and she became an outcast of the magical community. Years later, she's still running her enchanted inn (whilst dealing with meddlesome yet lovable guests' shenanigans), but now has a second chance to restore her power thanks to her latest patron's ability to decipher ancient languages.

This enchantingly cosy fantasy has all the heartwarming feels of found family, a tooth achingly sweet romance, endless baskets of baked goods, a zombie chicken and a whimsical house that randomly blooms wildflowers and rains apple blossom tea on its guests. It's funny, imaginative and pretty gosh darn adorable.

I did love the overall message of self-acceptance (mental health is also discussed in a very sensitive and thoughtful way throughout, which I really appreciated and found very relatable), but the final act felt a little bittersweet in my opinion. Without giving too much away, I was left feeling a bit deflated and I appreciated that it fed into Sera's journey of healing and acceptance... it felt like a bit of a cliché.

5/5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the ARC of this book.

Honestly, I don’t have cohesive thoughts about this story other than I absolutely adored it.
All characters are lovingly fleshed out and handled with so much care, the prose is delightful and the plot more than engaging (although I was expecting for it to tie in with TVSSOIW, but I’m not upset that was not the case!).
Sangu is impeccable with the found family trope and she will forever be on my automatic buy author list (and this particular title has obviously been preordered for months).

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping follows Sera, a magical prodigy who loses her magic when she resurrects her great-aunt and is exiled from her Guild, as she navigates running a magical inn with interesting inhabitants. This book is a standalone.

The writing style throughout this book takes you on a magical and emotional journey getting to know the characters and the inn in which they find themselves inexplicably drawn to. Mandanna’s writing style is one to be admired and it’s one I will always love no matter what she writes.

The characters throughout the book are fantastic. They each have their own intricate lives which you gradually get to know throughout the book and you find yourself growing overly attached to them. They are incredibly detailed and I felt the same emotions as they did throughout the book - when they were happy, I was happy, when they were outraged, I was outraged and when they were sad, I was exceptionally sad. The best part about them though was their interactions and conversations with one another - you could tell all of these characters loved one another dearly and therefore you couldn’t help loving them in return.

The plot itself was soft and gentle yet persistent - much like the main character. Whilst there was a main goal for the characters throughout the book, it was nice to see that it did not take over the whole story and instead allowed the reader to learn a greater lesson.

The romance was to die for. I enjoyed the romance from Mandanna’s other book but this romance was even better than that (the other is also incredibly good). The slow burn of the character’s affections and attractions to one another was delectable and it made me very emotional - I cried happy tears. I cannot put into words how much I adored it.

Overall, this book would be a phenomenal read for those who like cosy stories with a hint of fantasy, magic and romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review.

This was just so cosy. A magical inn which is run by a powerful witch (who lost most of her magic 15 years ago resurrecting a family member), a historian love interest, an undead rooster, what more could you want.

This was really funny. The FMC was a sarcastic (and at times acerbic) 30 year old, and it was great. It was nice to read about a FMC that wasn’t 17/18, and the whole thing just felt more…not necessarily realistic (because it is a book about magic), but…grounded in reality? If that makes sense.

I was really impressed by how well the MMC autistic younger sister was portrayed - not just stereotypes, but accurate.

I will say - I was a bit disappointed that the entire book was about Sera trying to get her magic back…only for her to give it up one chapter from the end. It didn’t feel like it made that much sense to me? I understand why it happened, and that we spent a book reading about her trying to get her magic back only to immediately give it up to protect her friends and family…but I still wish it hadn’t. Maybe I’m just too much of a HEA girlie.

Overall a really enjoyable cosy fantasy, with well written romance and side characters!

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC

Sangu Mandanna is a gift, and this book is something really special. Sera Swan went from being the most powerful witch in an age to having only a tiny bit of magic after she resurrected her Auntie as a teenager. Broken and a little bit lost, Sera now runs an Inn that takes in the people who need it most.

This is a beautiful story of found family, and is achingly lovely. There are some moments that are joyful, and some that are bittersweet, but I adored every one of them and wish the book wasn't over!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

A book as sweet as her first! This is “found family” at its best. The inn itself feels like an extra character, and i pictured it just like the practical magic house. The romance for me could’ve been a little stronger, but this book had so many other lovely things going on that i don’t think it mattered much. I will say this is much more cozy fantasy than romance and i think sera and Luke almost gave more friend vibes!

3⭐️

This was cute! Easy read and great for a palette cleanser. I did enjoy this book and the cozy setting but think I prefer more action packed fantasies. In saying that I definitely want to pick up TSSOIW also by this author! I liked the characters and the writing and overall the vibes of this story

I loved this book so much!! I was scared going into this since I loved the first one so bad, but this one was equally as great. In this book we follow Sera after she lost her powers resurrecting her aunt. While running her inn alongside a quite diverse group she runs into Luke an historian who slowly starts accepting her help and helping the inn, much to his dismay (but we all know he’s lying;). Sera was a great MC, she was so caring and loving that you could not not root for her. Luke was a great MC as well. The crew was absolutely hilarious shout out to Nicholas and Matilda for being the absolutely best. Although the story and the plot twists were easy to figure out since this is cozy fantasy, I throughly enjoyed my time with this and felt quite comforted by it. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for a review.