I was so excited to get a chance to read this ARC - I've been waiting 3 years! Another cosy, sweet and funny story from Mandanna. I loved Sera and Luke but also every other inhabitant of the inn.

Sangu Mandanna’s A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping delivers the perfect blend of cozy fantasy, heartwarming romance, and whimsical charm. Fans of her previous work, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, will appreciate the same enchanting, character-driven storytelling in this latest book. It’s a delightful read for those seeking a light, magical escape with a touch of humor and a focus on found family.

The story follows Sera Swan, a witch who lost her magical abilities after a rebellious act to resurrect her great-aunt, Jasmine. Now, years later, Sera runs a magical inn with her aunt, quietly trying to regain her powers. When a mysterious historian named Luke Larsen arrives, their interactions spark a slow-burn romance and a shared mission to unlock a magical spell that could restore Sera’s magic. While the romance is sweet, the heart of the story lies in the rich, quirky world Mandanna has built around the inn and its inhabitants.

One of the book’s biggest strengths is its delightful cast of characters. Sera’s eccentric aunt Jasmine, the fox-turned-witch Clemmie, the lovable Matilda, and other quirky guests add plenty of personality and charm to the story. The inn feels like a true home for these misfits, each with their own unique traits that make them unforgettable. The book also includes great representation, featuring diverse characters, including those with autism and disabilities, which adds depth and authenticity to the story.

The whimsical setting and the sense of found family really make the book stand out. The dynamic between Sera and Luke, though slow-burn, is engaging, and readers will enjoy the growing tension between them. There’s a lot of sweetness in how their relationship evolves from reluctant allies to something deeper. Luke’s grumpy-but-soft side is a charming counterpart to Sera’s more determined and kind-hearted nature.

That being said, the pacing can feel a bit uneven at times. The first half of the book moves more slowly, as Sera and Luke get to know each other and navigate the inn’s magical happenings. However, when the plot picks up in the second half, things feel a little rushed. Some key moments in the plot’s resolution could have been fleshed out more, but the message of reclaiming power and embracing your chosen family is still meaningful and heartfelt.

While the world-building and magical system could have been more detailed, the focus on character relationships and emotional growth makes up for it. The whimsical magic is fun, but the heart of the book lies in the connections Sera builds with the people around her.

In the end, A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is a charming and cozy read filled with humor, heart, and just the right amount of magic. It’s perfect for readers looking for a feel-good, uplifting story about love, second chances, and creating your own family. While a little more depth in the worldbuilding would have been nice, the warmth and charm of the story will likely keep readers enchanted from start to finish.

Thank you for gifting me an early copy of A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping

It tells the story of Sera who lost her magic after resurrecting a loved one-her great-aunt Jasmine. She now runs an inn with Jasmine and other companions.

As I loved The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, I was quite excited to read this one! However, I was a bit disappointed. The chapters felt a bit too long and whilst there were some moments that made me smile, the overall feeling I have is that it was fine.

I thought the beginning with the chicken was hilarious, but then I wasn’t as attached to the story as I was to the first book.

I enjoyed the ending though and thought it was fitting!

Cute, veeery cute. I love cozy fantasy, and read Sangu Mandanna's The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches just a couple of days ago.

It's hard not to compare this to The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, because while it's not a sequel, it's very similar in tone and plot. Also the main-characters and love-interests were very similar. This book hit alot of the same plot points as the last one, but I think it improved on them. The side-characters are way more fleshed out in this one, they're still pretty silly, but they're not as gimmicky and I really cared about them a lot more. Also, Roo-Roo, easily the best part about this book, I love him.

I also liked Sera and Luke a lot, they had a cute dynamic and while the romance was more of a subplot in this one, I actually felt it worked better that way. There's also a lot of representation in this book, especially around mental health and disabilities, autism and depression are depicted in a very kind and compassionate light.

Unfortunately I didn't love this author's previous book, rated it 3 stars, but I can say that she's improved quite a lot since then. A big problem I had with that book was the language, it felt a lot like a children's book in vocabulary and writing style, which felt weird in contrast to the (non-pg) romance plot in that book. In this one the writing style was still very cutesy and whimsical, but it seemed more adult to me, which I was very happy about.

Unfortunately I didn't like the ending that much. The pacing throughout was very nice, but I felt it ended very abrubtly and I personally didn't like the ending. It makes sense thematically in the story, but I just didn't like it.

Overall a very cute and cozy read, that was very nice throughout most of the story, but kind of flunked on the ending a bit. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a quick, cozy and cutesy read. I will definitely buy a physical copy when this comes out, because I feel like I'll want to read this more than once.

Huge Thankyou to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton publishing for providing me with an ARC for this book.

“𝑻𝒘𝒐 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔, 𝒂 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒙, 𝒂 𝒔𝒌𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒐𝒏 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒏, 𝒂 𝒉𝒐𝒃𝒃𝒊𝒕, 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒏, 𝒂 𝒌𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂 𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒃𝒂𝒓….”

This is the dream job I never knew I needed. A whimsical and charming tale of found family and self acceptance that really warms your bones, coupled with enchanting world-building and lighthearted banter.

I do however have one gripe with this book, in that the inn is called Batty Hole of all things, and I’m glad this is a cosy and fun little fantasy because I would not have been able to take this seriously if required.

Thank you endlessly to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.