this was the definition of a warm hug!! I absolutely loved getting lost in the pages of this book and feeling at home at Sera's whimsical inn.

the characters were so endearing, the world so magical, and the plot so well thought out that it made for a perfect cozy fantasy. I did wish for the ending to go in a slightly different direction, but the positive and uplifting message it provided was a nice touch.

I highly recommend picking this up when it comes out!!

Thank you to Hodderscape and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book is the epitome of cosy, brimming with whimsical charm, and filled with so much warmth. I was already a fan of Sangu Mandanna from the moment I read her other book, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, so I was so excited to be able to read this ARC. This book is like coming home after a long day, and drinking hot chocolate by the fireplace. It's a magical book and I am so grateful I got the chance to read the ARC.

This book follows Sera Swan, who resurrects her dead great-aunt Jasmine (and a rooster, accidentally), loses her magic, and is exiled from the Guild. Sera focuses on running the inn and dealing with the undead rooster (he's named Roo Roo, I feel this is very important!) and Clemmie, a talking fox. Years later, a mysterious historian named Luke appears at the inn and together, they work to get Sera's magic back and deal with the Guild.

The romance is sweet and I adored Luke from the moment he appeared on the page. I loved his interactions with Sera and his determination to do the right thing for his younger sister. I loved his characterisation so much.

Where this book shines, I think, is the side characters. The found family theme running through this book is perfect and all of these people who really needed the inn came together to create their own little family. I loved all of them so much and I would happily read a whole series following each member of the family!

This book had me giggling and kicking my feet and I had such a good time with this. Highly recommend that everyone picks it up for a bit of whimsy and charm.

This book felt like another big warm hug from the author to the readers. The writing style was very fun and descriptive which made for a super immersive experience. The characters were also hilarious and well-written, Sera Swan is me and I am her. I just wanted to dive into the book and join their little crazy family. It was a great story but somehow I did feel like it missed something. I can't really put my finger on what exactly that is. I really enjoyed reading this story but with her other book I was OBSESSED and that wasn't the case with this one, which does not take away the fact that it is a great book nonetheless!

I rated it therefore 3,5 stars! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced reading copy of this upcoming book! All opinions are mine.

I absolutely loved Sangu Mandanna’s The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, so I was very excited to receive an ARC of her newest book.

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is a warm, lighthearted and beautiful story of found family and looking for magic in the everyday. The cast of characters is absolutely delightful, from warm hearted Sera to her resurrected great aunt, a witch stuck in the body of a fox, a modern-day knight, and an aspiring hobbit, among others.

The romance between Sera and Luke was perfect. They are exactly who the other person needs, and the slow way their relationship develops feels completely natural.

Luke and his sister Posy’s relationship was beautiful, and it was lovely to see them both finally find a place where they were accepted for who they were. I appreciated how the author represented both neurodivergence and mental health in a kind and compassionate way in this story. Both Sera and Theo have some mental health struggles, but it’s expressed that it’s okay to talk about it and seek out help. Despite the book’s overall amusing and lighthearted tone, the author still deals with these heavier topics very well.

This book is perfect if you’re looking for a comforting, cosy fantasy read with a sprinkling of whimsy, magic and cinnamon buns.

I can’t wait to read whatever Sangu Mandanna writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

This latest of Mandanna’s stories follows witch Sera Swan as she juggles managing a magical inn and its wonderfully odd assortment of semi-permanent “guests”. (Cue, The Found Family, my kryptonite.) Not only does she juggle this with all the finesse of a slightly overwrought mother hen, she is also constantly grappling with the loss of her magic, expended in an epic spell cast as a teenager, the same spell that saw her exiled from the Guild of Sorcery.
Slightly desperate, as she watches what little magic she has left dwindle, she would do almost anything to get her magic back. Luckily for her, there is a fantastically endearing cast of characters just waiting in the wings to help her, including a slightly reluctant guild historian who has plenty of his own problems, thank you very much, one of which is the autistic sister he is raising as best he can on his own.
The found family in this one is just as delightful as the one in The Very Secret Society Of Irregular Witches, with each character being loved and valued exactly as they come. I LOVE it; plug it into my veins Sangu! Posy and Luke’s relationship is beautiful. As someone with experience with neurodivergent families, it is so nice to see this kind of representation on-page. I absolutely loved watching Sera learn that she does not have to do it all alone, that there are people in her life who want to help her as much as she’s helped them.
I also loved the twist on the grumpy-sunshine trope here -- this one is kind of a grumpy-grumpy dynamic instead!
In all, this one was a super cute read, and Sangu is an auto-buy storyteller for me!

4.5⭐

Such a heartwarming and cosy read, I loved how easy it was to get lost in this book and surround myself with beautiful writing, loveable characters and vivid descriptions throughout and even better a swoon worthy romance. I had the best time reading this book and highly recommend.

A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping has been one of my most anticipated reads since it was first announced. I have been not so patiently waiting with baited breath to read this book, overwhelmed with excitement to immerse myself in Mandanna's magical writing again, but also slightly nervous that it wouldn't quite live up to my expectations. I am beyond thrilled to say that I was worried for nothing - A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping is hands down one of the most wonderful books I have ever read. It is an easy 6 stars. Honestly, I would give this book 10 stars if I could.

I am actually struggling a bit to put how much I loved this book into words. Have you ever had the feeling when reading a book that you would just like to jump into the pages and live within the story? That is exactly how I felt when reading this. Mandanna excels at creating a fictional atmosphere that is so magical and welcoming. The little details throughout of the inn, the charmingly whimsical characters, the growth, the romance, the friendships, the magic, the smattering of cinnamon buns throughout - honestly, perfection.

If you enjoy cosy fantasy with romance and whimisical characters, don't waste any time. Make yourself a heart-warming cup of tea, or a coffee with Bailey's if you're feeling a bit more like Sera, grab a cinnamon bun, and dive in.

Perfect for fans of:
- found families
- magic
- cosy cottagecore fantasy
- light romance

My review will be shared on my blog a week before publication.

I listened to the first book The Very Secret Society Of Irregular Witches on audible maybe 2-3 years ago and absolutely loved the cosy Sabrina vibes which I was chasing. This book isn't a 2nd instalment but on the same themes of the Occult which is cosy, wholesome and loving. Sera our main character lost her magic due to burnout 15 years ago when she was a teenager and is presented a way to get it back with the support from the wacky characters staying at the inn. Her love story with Luke and the redemption of herself within the magical world within the guild (their kind of government at authority) was comforting and magical. Loved the inclusion in this book e.g. Posy who is 9 and autistic, Jasmine the spinster aunt with a clubfoot and finding her love at the end, Nicholas the guy in his 20s who thinks he's a knight (that one was a bit strange to me).

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A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping
by Sangu Mandanna (Goodreads Author)
Want to Read
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the arc!

🌟🌟🌟/5

I'm sure Sangu Mandanna's witchy cozy fantasy will become the newest sensation in the subgenre but for me, it was a mixed bag. While some moments stood out, the book overall fell prey to what cozy fantasy is often criticized for.

Here's the good: Found family is one of the very few tropes that I look forward to, and the eclectic characters make this a fun time! All of them add to the story in their own way. This is a book that invites you to experience the magic in everyday moments- literally. I enjoy a low stakes story from time to time and the stakes here are practically non-existent.

There's humor on every page. This book will make you laugh out loud quite often. The vibes were absolutely there. SM did a great job at making me despair about how I don't (and will never get to) live in a magical inn. The romance wasn't half as bad as I thought it'd be. Thankfully, instead of insta-love I got something that was actually quite heartfelt. I really liked the queer, disability, and autism representation. The narrative was engaging enough and I flew through it.

Here's what didn't work for me: The 'messages' the book wanted to give were way too overstated. It was all very....'live laugh love'. Many readers will find it comforting-healing, even- but only if they're in the right state of mind. I just wasn't looking for the 'just be yourself!!!!' and 'you don't need magic to be special!!!' storylines to be shoved down my throat for the billionth time.

The sex scene was completely unnecessary. Yes, it's barely three pages, but those three pages were enough to take me out of the story. All the talk about condoms was SO not needed and stood very much at odds with the rest of the book.

This one's definitely a case of 'it's not you, it's me'. If you love cozy fantasy and are looking for something lighthearted, give this a try!

I absolutely adored The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and I loved this just as much! It's magical, fun and completely heartwarming with a lovely romance and a great found family. The cast of characters is so great and I loved the inn setting

From the writing style, her characters and how unbelievably funny it was, this book was 10/10 across the board! It has so much life and heart and completely realistic in a way that in a world full of witches, it should be.

The found family aspect was one of my favourite parts of the novel, and how, without spoiling too much, this one place brought them all together and they stayed together despite their peculiarities. Honestly I need everyone to read it, it honestly left me so warm inside. This book felt like a big hug. It managed to talk about sensitive issues while being simultaneously funny where it needed to be. The only critique o have about this book is its pacing from the 70% mark but other than that??? Absolutely loved it! Back to back amazing books by this author. I can’t wait to read more from her!!!

✨5 stars!!!✨

I read The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches back in 2023, loved it, and ever since then I have been patiently waiting for this author’s next publication. So when I saw that I got approved an ARC I was over the moon.

That being said, I loved this book so much. Maybe even more than the other one *dramatic gasp* I can’t believe it either!

The book begins with a 15 year old Sera Swan resurrecting her recently deceased Great Auntie Jasmine. As the spell is such a massive feat, Sera’s magic ends up depleted, and as the spell is against Guild’s rules, the Guild’s authoritarian Chancellor Albert Grey decides to exile Sera. The rest of the plot occurs 15 years later as Sera and an array of characters staying at the inn try to find the ingredients required to complete the spell to gain her magical powers back.

If there’s one thing Sangu Mandanna is going to deliver on every time, it’s the impeccable found family aspect of her books, and this one was perfect. I loved every quirky character within the found family and they each brought something to the story!

I loved how the inn only appeared to people in need of a safe place to stay due to a spell Sera put on the inn when she had her magic 15 years ago. Also the fact that this book was set in the North-West of England which is where I’m from.

I loved this so much and would definitely recommend. I’m already looking forward to re-reading this which is something I rarely do.

I received an ARC from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

The Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is the kind of cozy fantasy I love. It has an actual story, heart, and just the right touch of magic and emotional depth.

Sera, the main character, is charming and relatable, and the inn she runs is the kind of place you want to live in. The romance is sweet without taking over the plot, and there’s even a lovely little side romance that made me smile.

The magic system is whimsical but well-thought-out, and the writing is full of that dry British humor I love.

This is cozy fantasy done right — warm, witty, and just a little weird in the best way. Highly recommend!

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is a charming, magical story filled with heartwarming moments ✨. The book effortlessly blends magic, found family, and personal growth 🌱. The slow-burn romance adds a sweet layer to the story, making it both cozy and engaging 💖. With its richly developed characters and a satisfying conclusion, this book is perfect for anyone looking for a touch of magic and a lot of heart 🪄.

Rating: 4.5 stars
A delightful, cozy read that leaves you feeling warm and hopeful 🌟.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a free ARC copy to read!

I got to 23% and I really liked what I've read so far! I liked the writing style and it felt like a very cosy story. I could already see that certain characters would form a lovely found family. 🥰

However, I currently won't finish this book due to a personal trigger. Maybe I'll pick this up again later, but for now I need to put my mental health first.

I'm deep in my cozy fantasy era, and this author's first book was one of the reasons that I got hooked.
A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping again brings forth the magic.
Sera has made a mistake as a teenager - one that came from a caring heart - and now has lost most of her magic. But what she finds turns out to be much bigger: a found family. Actually, the inn finds the family, or even more precise, a spell put on the inn.

There is an overly opinionated witch in the body of a fox, a resurrected great-aunt, a teenage boy witch, an aspiring hobbit in the body of a sweet elderly woman and a modern-day knight. And Roo-Roo the zombie rooster. And soon, Luke.
I wanna say if you loved The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and The House in the Cerulean Sea, then you will devour this book. As did I.

Get your magical cozy infusion with this book.

4,5/5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @hodderbooks for the eARC!

#TheWitchsGuideToMagicalInnkeeping #Netgalley #Bookstagram

What can I say? I expected witchy coziness and I got witchy coziness. But to be honest, something would have to go terribly wrong in a book with a magical house and a quirky found family for me not to like it. Fortunately, this book did many things right. The story is about the 30-year-old witch Sera Swan who made one mistake when she was a teenager and is paying the price ever since. To be fair, her mistake involved resurrecting her recently deceased aunt (and a not so recently deceased rooster), cost her most of her magic and got her exiled from the Guild of Sorcery. Now she lives at her magical inn and while it's a lovely place and things could be worse, it's just not the life Sera imagined for herself. So she jumps at the first opportunity to get her magic back, although it seems pretty impossible to achieve. But fortunately, she has a whole inn of people who are more than willing to help her with this task.

First of all, I have to praise the characters and the magic. I liked Sera a lot. She's grumpy but has a heart of gold and she's a deeply caring person. She created the inn as a place for people who need a safe space or who just need a break, and where everyone can fully be themselves. She uses the little magic she has left to help everyone around her, and I loved the ways how magic was described as some kind of personal reflection of the witch casting it. The inn was full of odd but charming guests and lodgers, like the modern-day knight or the witch trapped in a fox's body, and everyone was thoughtful and understanding. I just love books that create a cozy atmosphere through the characters, and this one did it pretty well. The side characters were not necessarily super complex, but everyone got a little backstory and had their own thing going on. Sera's love interest, Luke, got his own POV and I liked that it really added something to the story, because he works for the Guild that Sera is exiled from. That doesn't mean that he agrees with the views of the Guild, and he too has his own problems with it. He was a well-developed character. The romance was cute, and I got the feeling that Sera and Luke truly understood each other. But the sex scene felt completely out of place for me, I'm sorry. It just didn't match the cozy vibes of the rest of the book, same with the swearing. I mean, cozy fantasy doesn't have to be suited for younger readers, but some things just disrupt a story like this. I also wasn't a fan of the time jump in the beginning, because it felt a little clunky how only the first two chapters were set 15 years ago. And I think that that's too big of a time jump, because 15 years is a long time to be at the exact same place in life, especially since Sera was a child when she lost her magic. I couldn't really grasp what she did in all the years in between and what her plans for the future were, and yes, now she gets a chance to restore her magic, but not thanks to her own doing. It is mentioned that she got depression and had to learn to ask for help first, though, and I appreciate the representation. The ending was not my thing for multiple reasons, so I put some spoilers: [start of spoilers] I know it's a cozy fantasy, but everything was terribly convenient in the end. Sera gets her magic back and then she goes to the Guild and gives all the stuck-up people a talk that things have to change now, and then they just do, come on. And the way how Sera loses her big magic again, for the greater good? Thanks, I hate it. I know that the point is that she doesn't need her magic to be happy in life, but she spent the last 15 YEARS sulking over it, and now it wasn't so bad? Worst trope ever. [end of spoilers] So yes, I do have some complaints, but I can still call this a good book and I would recommend it to everyone who's looking for a quick and wholesome read.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Hodderscape for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

What a wonderful story! Full of magic (obviously!), fun, humour, love (of all kinds), and family (both related and found). Sera is one of the most powerful witches, until one day, in her teens, her great Aunt, Jasmine, dies in the garden and Sera resurrects her using a forbidden spell. Unfortunately, it costs Sera most of her magic and exile from the magical Guild. After 15 years continuing to run her Inn with Jasmine, she's accumulated a collection of unusual long-term guests, who are as much a family to her as Jasmine is. She also discovers a spell to restore her magic ... which is in a language she can't read! What follows is a tale of discovery, finding out who her true friends are, finding romantic love, and standing up to the one person who always put her down. I absolutely loved it!
Thanks to Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton, and Sangu Mandanna for the free ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was perfect, even better than the first one. The found family, the swoonworthy romance, the pace and writing, the characters, i loved it. Also extra points for including a palestinian side character

5 full stars,
I have not loved a book as much as I do this one in a very long time.
It's creative, original, witty, heart wrenching just everything you want in a book. I'm hooked! Done. If you haven't read it yet, you're seriously missing out. I'm obsessed with the ease of flow and how the author has succeeded in making me invested in the outcome but also the journey to get there. I'm not just waiting to see how it ends, instead, I want to know every step and more.

Thankyou netgalley for giving me this early look at my new favourite book.