Please can I stay at the inn?

This is another cosy and cutesy read from Sangu Mandanna. I absolutely adored the whole cast of characters in this novel. They were all slightly ridiculous but completely endearing. Even though it is a cosy novel, the plot races along from one silly escapade to another. Despite this the ending was surprisingly genuine and heartwarming.

Big Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the advanced copy! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

'A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping' is a cozy fantasy, following the footsteps of the author's previous work The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.

This time, we follow Sera, a witch who lost her magic, as she tries to run an inn filled with quirks and even more quirky characters, while she sets off to try and regain her magic.

The characters, first of all, were indeed interesting and one of a kind, and just right for a cozy fantasy that aimed for inclusivity. Sera, for instance, was a great narrator and character, as she was not overdoing it with her coziness, but was fresh and relatable.

The romance, on the other hand, was so so. I believe my bigest problem with the book was with the pacing, as everything happened too quickly and the time jumps were too many and too often. And the romance suffered from it. Especially the kissing scene was simply out of place. But, the sex scene was betterly timed compared to the irregular witches book, which was something I feared will happen in this book as well.

Having that said, I also think that the ending was rushed and could have been handled with more care. A bit more information on what comes next would have been nice too.


This review has been posted on Goodreads and Storygraph.
Finally, the lore was interesting, bit Harry Potter for me, but well handled never the less.

Gosh, I adored this. It seems we're in a market flooded with cosy romantic fantasy at the moment, so it's difficult for books to stand out in such a crowded space. However, Sangu Mandanna's magical tale of found family, magic and undead chickens does just that.

From the first page, I felt immersed in Sera's magical world and wanted desperately to find my way to her magical inn and spend some time with the loveable cast of characters.

Sera is a fabulous lead character, I love that she's prickly and difficult, while remaining warm and loving. It's not often a writer gets this blend down perfectly. And Luke? The perfect man *chef kiss*.

I'm also 100% a Clemmie fan and would defend her rights and wrongs to anyone.

I loved this and will remain ever hopeful we see more of these characters.

3.5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping, a young witch who appears to have lost her magic runs an inn full of magical vibes... and "looks after" a mismatched group of guests who become much more than temporary visitors. As she works to bring her magic back to life, an unexpected arrival eith tied to her past offers a glimpse of a solution. Along the way, magic, friendship and love weave together in a gentle story of healing, belonging, and learning to open up.

I was really excited for this one because I loved the author’s previous book. Did it fully live up to my expectations? Not quite, but I still enjoyed it enough to be glad I picked it up.

What I loved: the fantastic found-family vibes and how the group just clicked despite their differences; the inclusive cast (including a child with autism, a sapphic side romance, and multiple queer supporting characters); and the cozy, magical atmosphere of the inn itself.

What I didn’t love so much: the pacing felt slow and sometimes a bit repetitive. The male lead’s stubborn insistence on leaving dragged on longer than I’d have liked... though I’ll admit, his constant concern for his sister made that trait endearing at times.

I’d recommend this one to readers who enjoy cozy fantasy with strong found-family themes, slow-burn romance (it’s clear it’s going somewhere, but it takes its time), and don’t mind a gentle, slow-developing plot.

After devouring The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, I added this one to my TBR as soon as I saw it on Goodreads, so naturally I was thrilled to get the ARC, though for various reasons didn't actually get around to reading it until the publication date.

This was another delightful, whimsical, magical, cosy and inclusive story from Mandanna, and I loved it almost as much as the previous book. I think it took a bit longer to get into, and some of the side characters weren't as fleshed out as I would have liked (hence I didn't always understand motivations), but overall it was a treat!

Sera Swan is a witch who lost most of her magic at age 15 when she performed a spell to resurrect her great aunt - the only family she had. Now she's running an unconventional inn that can only be found by people who need it and will appreciate it, which attracts an oddball cast of characters.

Sera gets a chance to reclaim her magic and confront her former mentor-turned-nemesis, and is somewhat reluctantly aided by the handsome, scholarly and slightly reserved Luke Larsen.

I loved loved loved the inn (I want to live there too), loved how cosy and inclusive the story was and the themes of found family. I also thought the romance was well done and not over-the-top or unbelievable.

[ARC provided by NetGalley and Hodderscape. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping.]

Rating: 4/5

When I read The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches back in 2023, I knew for sure that I would be keeping up with any of this author's new releases. And although A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping faced some set-backs, I’d have happily waited any amount of time for Mandanna’s brand of cosy fantasy. Naturally, with quite a lot of time passing from Irregular Witches, my expectations were high, but they were also very easily met.

A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping is a whimsical, cosy fantasy that follows Sera Swan, one of the most powerful witches in Britain, but when she resurrects her great-aunt Jasmine, her vast power dwindles dramatically and leads to her being exiled from her Guild. With little magic left within her, she now helps Jasmine run an enchanted inn in Lancashire, which houses a quirky group of inhabitants from a (kind of) evil talking fox to a kind medieval knight. When she finds out that there may be a spell to restore her power and realises that all hope may not be lost, a serendipitous new arrival at the inn, Luke Larsen, may be the magical historian that could help her unlock the spell’s secrets.

If there were ever a book to use as an example of the found family trope, this would be it. There’s a lot to love here but the various relationships that you encounter throughout the story will have you falling love with these characters. And I think it’s important to highlight that although there is romance in this story, the true gem is the beauty to be found in the group as a whole.

Relationships aside, the actual cast of characters are such a loveable bunch. I really appreciated the fantastic representation in this story which includes a very sweet sapphic romantic sub-plot, neurodivergent characters and a character with clubfoot. Each character has faced adversity in some shape or form, and the inn has become a haven to those who have been rejected or looked over by others. And with Sera at the helm making sure they all have a home where they are loved, the Inn itself becomes a character that is always there to envelop the group in its chaotic but loving embrace.

My only (very minor) issue is that the pacing felt a little off at times which sometimes took me out of the story, but it never took long to get back on track. I also didn’t 100% love how the book concludes, but I could eventually appreciate how it wrapped up despite it not being how I would have preferred the story end. Ultimately, I really enjoyed the plot, the romance was sweet, and everything else that ties the book together was as whimsical and cosy as I hoped it would be. I’ll absolutely be recommending this to anyone looking for something light and sweet.

How do I describe this without sounding repetitive or cliche?
Perfection. Hugged with words around my brain. A found family. Low angst. Safe space. The cherry on top of my cozy reading quest.
This book protected my mood reading brain from being afraid. And I was there for the incredible wordmagic that Sangu has created. I need book 2 by next with asap.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgally for letting me feel all these feelings.

I was enchanted by the previous book and this is, in many ways, even better. The characters are a little spikier, the romance juicier, and I loved how we got more of a look at how the magic world Mandanna writes about works. It’s like reading a grown up version of one of those lovely books from when you were a kid- just edgy enough to be engaging, but with beautiful descriptions and a warmth that lingers long after you’ve finished. I’m not normally one for cosy reads but this knocked it out of the park.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me, I couldn't get on board with the writing or plot. A shame because I loved her previous books!

I absolutely adored The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches so I’ve been eagerly awaiting Sangu’s next cosy fantasy and I was not disappointed.

The same wonderful found family vibes, an intriguing magic system, characters you can’t help but adore. It was the perfect cosy read - even in the middle of summer in 30C heat - and I was sucked in from the first page.

I will absolutely recommend this book to fellow cosy fantasy fans and absolutely read any more cosy fantasies the author writes.

After finishing book 1, I have been waiting to read this book since Aug 2022. After three years, we have the book here at last.

Sera's story was one of magic that thrived from love and kindness. Her powers rivalled the most powerful wizard in the British Guild of Sorcery, Albert Grey, which didn't sit well with him. But they were not similar in any manner. While Sera was humble and kind, Albert was a self-entitled, egotist who constantly belittled her powers and skills. He was jealous that a 15 year old was proving to be his equal.

Through an unfortunate turn of events, she was exiled from the Guild as she got caught using a forbidden resurrection spell on her Great-Aunt, Jasmine. Not only was she exiled, her magic disappeared after performing the spell. With only a magicked inn, her resurrected Great Aunt, and a talking fox, she holes up in her cosy "little" inn, wallowing her loss, albeit grumpily.

Even after 15 years, she yearned for her magic but she had come to terms with it being lost to her. When she has a chance to restore her magic, she will have to face the guild, welcome a new visitor to the Batty Hole (inn), and confront Albert, once and for all.

This book ticked so many boxes I'd expect from a cosy fantasy. Each nook and corner of the inn described vividly in the book made me feel toasty. I wanted to drive myself to the inn and settle there along with the characters.

I love reading about grumpy FMCs more than MMCs. Younger Sera was not as grumpy as older Sera. She was tetchy and was still hoping to restore her magic, but she was also grateful for her found-family's support. She had a speck of magic left in her and she kept the inn running with that.

The found-family part was effortlessly done. It didn't feel forced. Everyone in the Batty Hole didn't fit in the real world, but they perfectly fit together despite their differences.

There are a couple of reps in the book I really appreciated. For the first time, I got to read a half Kodava (South Indian ethnic group) rep in a book. It also has a sub-subplot sapphic romance, an autistic child and an adult with clubfoot rep. They were all nicely written, and Sera gave them a home to be themselves without ever having to feel different.

This book would be a real treat for seasonal readers. It’d be a great pick for Autumn transitioning into Winter season. Reading it felt like a warm hug after a terrible day.

Sera’s journey was not just about restoring her magic, but also about living for the present, nurturing herself with love from her found-family. It’s not that spicy, but her journey of self-love and romance was worth it.

Thank you Hodderscape and Netgalley for the DRC!!

3.75 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton/Hodderscape for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this reasonably fast-paced yet low-stakes, cosy yet energetically amusing tale of a witch who runs a countryside inn.

I feel that potential readers should be prepared, despite it being cosy, for liberal amounts of bad language (which worked for me as a juxtaposition). Also, there is a lot of British slang and this could either be a fun way for international readers to learn some or test their knowledge. It may mean some of what the characters say is incomprehensible at times, but generally it should not be much of an issue. It worked well for me personally.

There is very minimal romance, which may be off-putting to some. I was very content with this - it felt like a realistic slowburn attraction playing out. The two characters in this situation have a similar vibe and this made for an interesting dynamic (basically grumpy/grumpy!).

The cast of supporting characters are utterly delightful, in particular the knight(?) Nicholas and Clemmie.

Overall this was nothing earth-shattering, but a very good example of modern cosy fantasy realism.

I was so excited for this book. I’ve loved Sangu Mandanna ever since The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches — it was such a comforting, magical hug of a story, and I’ve had A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping on my radar for years. So I’m really sad to say this one just didn’t work for me in quite the same way.

There’s definitely a lot to enjoy: the cosy vibes, the magical inn setting, and of course, Roo-Roo — the undead rooster — who made me laugh more than once. The themes of found family, self-acceptance, and second chances are still here, and Sangu really knows how to build a warm, slightly chaotic world you want to live in.

But the pacing was a bit all over the place. The beginning drew me in, but somewhere around the middle, it started to lose momentum, and then rushed through the ending. That stop-start rhythm made it hard to stay emotionally connected.

I also didn’t feel as invested in the romance as I’d hoped. I liked both Sera and Luke on their own, but I didn’t feel the spark between them. There’s a kiss in a library — which should’ve been swoony — but the moment is undercut by a jarringly blunt line that pulled me out of the scene. It felt too soon, too sudden, and lacking the slow-burn tension that could’ve made it really shine.

And then the ending… I won’t spoil it, but it left me frustrated. Sera’s entire journey is about finding her power again — literally and metaphorically — and I hated seeing her lose that in the final pages. It felt like a step backward, especially after everything she’d gone through.

That said, this is still a charming, gentle fantasy with a lot of heart. It just didn’t land for me the way Irregular Witches did, and that’s okay. I’ll still read whatever Sangu writes next, because even when the story doesn’t fully click, there’s something undeniably warm and lovely in her writing.

✨ The 'Found Family' trope is strong in this one ✨

A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping is a cup of hot chocolate and a warm hug in book form 💖
It delivered everything it promised. It was entertaining and very cute, while including the precise amount of conflict and character growth.

I enjoyed the diverse and somewhat chaotic cast of characters. Some backstories felt a bit too similar but each character had a distinct personality and role in the story.

The romance is very sweet, grumpy x grumpy 🤣 and mildly slow burn. I'd describe the spice level as fade to black.

I'd read the previous cozy fantasy from this author and I must say I enjoyed this one a lot more. The characters felt more believable and less cartoonish here, and the plot had more substance to it.

I'll definitely be on the lookout for future works from this author!

9/10

"The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches" was one of my favorite books last year. I'd been eagerly awaiting the release of Sangu Mandanna's next title since it was first announced. I began reading with anticipation, but also a touch of apprehension – would the novel live up to my expectations?

Oh yes, it lived up to it, I don't even know if I can express how much. I laughed, cursed the "villains," shed a tear, and above all, I had a great time – a true "comfort read."

The plot probably won't appeal to everyone. It lacks suspense, dramatic plot twists, or monumental missions to save the world. Everything revolves around the not-so-ordinary daily lives of the inhabitants of the titular Inn, and while their adventures alone would make for a satisfying read, the element of a "magical quest" adds some additional “zing” to the whole thing. It's a fairytale-like, warm, and captivating story, but it also offers a lot of thought-provoking depth. The author proves that it's possible to write intelligently about emotions even in a genre as seemingly unassuming as cozy fantasy. Message can be perfectly conveyed without grand quotes and difficult expressions, as overly intellectualized language is no substitute for understanding emotions and their skillful description – what's important can be expressed even in the simplest words.

The characters form a vibrant and unique "found family," in which everyone has their place. Their relationships mature and evolve before our eyes, and those found by the reader as the "status quo" have solid base. Sera, devoid of magic and somewhat grumpy, Luke, unsure of his place in the world, and Nicholas, the self-proclaimed knight – although almost every character struggles with some doubts and problems, they aren't merely cardboard cutouts serving as placeholders for trauma. Their development and journey toward self-acceptance bring them closer to the Japanese concept of Kintsugi (broken pottery glued together with gold), proving that not only perfection can be beautiful and valuable.

Since I loved The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna a couple of years back (I’ve reread it a few times since), there was no question in my mind that I would jump on the opportunity to get my hands on an ARC of her new adult fantasy novel. I’ve been waiting (impatiently, I might add) for A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping, and I’m happy to report it was worth the wait.

Similarly to The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, Mandanna’s new novel is set in a home – Batty Hole, the inn our heroine Sera runs together with her great aunt, Jasmine – it has a theme of found family, and the MC is a witch – as well as some of the other characters. They both are cozy romantasies as well, and I think that’s about the list of similarities. Although, both love interests have similar characteristics. But I’m not going to keep comparing the two books as they have no relation to each other apart from the fact they are written by the same person. What I’m trying to say is, if you enjoyed the former book, you’ll enjoy A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping as well.

Sera was born to parents who didn’t really care about parenting, so she was mostly raised by her great aunt Jasmine. She was also born a very powerful witch, only rivaled by Albert Grey, who also happens to be a member of a prestigious witch family, closely knitted with the Guild that looks over all the witches in Great Britain. Needless to say he is a narcissistic, snob prick who makes everyone else’s life a mysery. When Sera looses most of her power by resurrecting her great aunt, he gets her exiled. Sera would love nothing more than getting back her magic, and so she devotes her life to the growing quirkly family in the inn and the search. When her old friend turns up to take back an important book taken from the library of the Guild, it starts off unexpected events. She finally has the spell, Luke moves in with his autistic little sister after being led there by his boss, Verity – who also happens to be the one who helped Sera a lot as a child – and all of that forces Sera to face her past and insecurities.

The plot of A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is not very complex (and I don’t mean this as a criticism), and the book is mostly set in the inn, so we get to know the residents quite well. This book is pretty much a perfect example for a found family theme, as everyone who settles in the inn looks for something they need and thanks to Jasmine’s kind, quiet care and Sera’s skills at keeping a firm hold on things, they are thriving. Even if Sera doesn’t feel like she does. She is burdened by some of her childhood traumas, including the loss of most of her magic and along with it her identity to a degree.

There are a lot of things that this book does well – I loved the found family theme, how the characters’ personalities came through, the building romance that felt natural and not at all forced, and how Mandanna handled all the fun, the heartbreaking and tense moments. Once I started reading I could barely put it down because I just wanted to hang out in this world with their everyday problems as well as their witchy ones. And even though I loved it to pieces, I also had some minor complaints. Since this is the first Mandanna book I’ve read (I listened to the audiobook with the other one), I don’t know if this is her personal writing style, but I felt that the italicised words were super overused in this book. There was at least one on each page, but more times than not there were 2-3, which once I noticed very early on, kept taking me out of the reading momentarily. Now, I don’t usually comment on things like this in case of ARCs under the assumption they’ll be fixed in the final version, but I have a feeling this might not be the case. Although I hope I’m wrong. It’s not a major issue, per se, but once I noticed, I couldn’t unsee it.

Another thing I wasn’t sure about was Clammie’s story arc. Which absolutely doesn’t make any sense. Not the whole thing, just the ending. Plus, she was my least favorite character, and she wasn’t even the villain. She just didn’t feel as well rounded out as the others. Speaking of, I kinda wished Albert Grey had a bit more presence overall in the book. He’s got good characterisation, even if he ended up being a bit one dimensional for my liking.

My minor complaints aside, I really enjoyed A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping. Reading it feels like a huge cozy blanket wrapped around you on a cool autumn day. I’m not sure why it was set to be released in the Summer as it’s more an Autumny/Wintery read, but anyway, definitely a must read in 2025.

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping reminded me of everything I loved in The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches with a heartfelt found family, richly drawn characters, and a warm, magical setting that felt like wrapping up in a cosy blanket.

The found family dynamic is the heart of this story. Each character is layered and memorable, and their relationships grow with genuine care and depth. The slow-burn romance is tender and swoony without overshadowing the larger narrative.

What really impressed me was how the book balanced its comforting atmosphere with a plot that remained engaging. The worldbuilding is immersive without ever feeling overwhelming, and the inn itself felt like a character in its own right.

As someone with an autistic little sister, I was especially touched by the thoughtful and authentic representation. It was incredibly heartwarming and made this story even more special to me.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was by no means a bad book! I finished it, I just really did not like or care for it, even though I loved the authors debut book - and will check out her future works!

Based on the premise by unmet expecations for this book were the following:

1. cosy inn vibes á la Girlmore girls - while the characters were telling me this place was their home I didnt feel it. While magical in a protection kind of way it did not feel magical in a wondrous way. Nor did we have quirky people staying over or bossy personal like Girlmore girls.
2. found family - her first book absolutely convinced me the main characters were supposed to be together as a family. in this book I was not really rooting for anyone except maybe the old ladies. The group of children, adults and old people + fox did not really feel wholly together at all nor did the love interest.
3. witchy main character - I always love a witchy story. The magic the wonder, the darkness. Our main character does not have her magic. She is punished and basically we are following a sad not-anymore-witch.
4. evil villain - the bad guy in this book the head of the secret society. Middle aged white guy living his best life was really not doing it for me. He was unlikeable in a mundane way. No scheming required whatsoever. And the end "fight" was sorely disappointing.

Again I did not hate this book I just wished to love it.

Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice : 🌶️
Tropes : Found family, second chance, grumpy x grumpy, slow burn.
Vibes : Magical inn, lost powers, self acceptance, whimsy, banter.

This book felt like home, and I found it in a time when I truly needed it the most. Everything about The Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping was so heart-warming and welcoming, and I genuinely found myself wishing I could live at the inn with everybody!

Mandanna has a way of making you feel so seen and comforted by her writing. Her characters are so beautifully representative of people from all different walks of life, and despite their differences I loved how well they all came together and really made the inn feel like a special place to be.

I loved Sera as a main character. She's understandably jaded after resurrecting her aunt, losing her powers, and getting expelled from the Sorcerers Guild. She resigns herself to living a quiet, cozy life with her aunt, running a magical inn that only shows itself to those that need it most.

One of my absolute favourite parts was the loveable cast of characters. Everyone had their own quirks and reasons for needing to be at the inn. Every group scene had me smiling and giggling and looking forward to whatever weird and wonderful antics they were getting up to that day. It's so clear how deeply they all love and care for each other and I loved that you could feel how much Sera truly cared for each and every one of them too despite her grumpy exterior.

The romance was so soft and beautifully done as well! It's more of a subtle nod to second chance trope, Sera and Luke briefly knew each other as teens and reconnect as adults in the present day when Luke is unwittingly sent to assist Sera in figuring out how to regain her powers. I loved the grumpy x grumpy dynamic between them was really enjoyable, it was so much fun watching them reminisce about their younger years and warming back up to each other.

If you're in the mood for cozy, feel-good vibes, and a story with a LOT of heart, I highly recommend picking this up!

Thank you so much for the ARC!

This is exactly what adult cozy fantasy is supposed to be. Rich, complex characters, great plot, phenomenal vibes, and a fabulously steamy -and deep- romance that had me giggling and kicking my feet.

The world here is just as fun and diverse as in her first book. I loved every single character- not you Albert- and would love to have a full book on each one of them. Especially Jasmine.

I love the way that Sangu Mandanna frames real, difficult topics and themes. It's just as raw and powerful, but against a nice, soft backdrop so that it's not completely overwhelming. Mandanna is quickly becoming one of my favorite cozy fantasy authors, which is saying a lot considering how much I love and read this genre (sub genre?)