THE MAGICAL MINISTRY OF WITCHES
BY
DAEL ASTRA

💥What an imaginative, charming and cozy sweet fantasy!

➡️THE SETUP:
🪶The Magical Ministry of New York is a place of cosmic importance. Of the extraordinary hiding within the everyday bureaucratic world of witches, warlocks and others who wield spells to offset the public chaos, their spells shaped city-wide wards, negotiated with ancient spirits, and drafted the regulations that kept New York’s "magical and mundane worlds" from bleeding into one another in a messy, catastrophic way, the intention being that they would work together.

🪶Our relationship with the mundane city government is at an all-time low. They see us as an irrelevant, expensive anachronism.” “The City Oversight Committee for Arcane Affairs will come here, look at our tangled finances, our outdated systems, our lack of clear leadership, and they will vote to dissolve the Ministry’s charter and absorb its functions into the mundane Department of Parks and Recreation.”

🪶The city’s ley lines are a tangled mess, the goblin trade negotiations have stalled for eighteen months, and the enchanted pigeons in the Garment District have unionized and are demanding better quality breadcrumbs. We are on the verge of being declared magically insolvent by the city oversight committee. “They’ll want to put our grimoires on a public library database and turn the greenhouses into a petting zoo.” “Worse,” Beatrice said grimly. “They will decommission the wards, sell off the artifacts, and turn this beautiful, magical sanctuary into luxury condos.

➡️THE WORLD:
🪄This wonderful world is a vivid, compelling , colorful and creative world where all kinds of magical characters, and sentient creatures work unseen by humans to help the ministry run. This Ministry has been run by the same kind of magic for three hundred years. Infighting paralyzed by indecision and old rivalries. The traditionalists wanted a hard-liner. The reformists had no one strong enough. They were trapped. Eldrin, in a gesture of ultimate contempt for the state they had allowed the Ministry to fall into, invoked the Clause ‘If we cannot choose, we will let a random roll of the dice choose for us.’ He declared that the next person to walk through that door would be the new Minister.

🪄Unaware, Aleda walks through. But as they find out, her magic is one of collaboration. Of listening. It is the kind of power this place has been starving for.” You’re not just a gardener, Minister. You’re an ecosystem engineer.”

➡️CHARACTERS:
What a lovely rich cast of characters are bursting with personality!!

⚜️Aleda- who has an inner dialogue with her "imposters syndrome", and extreme anxiety, who had previously been known only as “that poor girl from Horticulture” who was the victim of a bizarre administrative accident, was suddenly “Minister Vance.” I felt privileged to go along with Aleda on her journey.
⚜️Juliene Thorne, intelligent but prickly, intimidating Head Archivist, (and eventual love interest)
⚜️Beatrice: Aledas maternal auntie figure, and deep support
⚜️The twins- genius magical engineers: Rowan and Finn Croft
⚜️Cinder, the Ministry’s unofficial security chief- a cat whose green eyes glow with an ancient, inscrutable intelligence.
⚜️Eldrin Courcey, Head of Arcane Law
⚜️The goblin diplomat trying to explain why the Department of Inter-species Arcane Law was not, in fact, “a load of old codswallop.”

➡️I especially love the fantastical sentient elements...
❤️‍🔥The Diva elevators- driven by drama, they refused to move until told a joke- resulting in ten minute traffic jams of witches trying to remember punchlines. The week before, it had adopted a Cockney accent and would only stop at floors it deemed “proper tidy".
❤️‍🔥The self-filling pirate pantry (and Tilly, the kitchen elf)
❤️‍🔥The sympathetic refreshment trolley that can sense what you need.
❤️‍🔥The Living archive files
❤️‍🔥the Flying Mail sprites
❤️‍🔥Singing snapdragons, who preferred sea shanties1
The details were so descriptive that I can feel the energy- and smell the scents!

➡️OVERALL THOUGHTS:
💗It's a story of found love in a strange, brilliant, loyal, and utterly wonderful collection of people who become a family. It is about unexpected leadership and finding your voice in places you never expected.

💗I wish there really was this wonderful magical help supporting the known world we see. In today's anxious world of terrible things happening daily, plus the political unrest, how wonderful it would be to have a magical ministry quietly looking out after us!

👍I think Dael Astra, as a newer indie author, is extremely polished!! His skillful storytelling, consistent pacing and story lines, as well-drawn characters, will have readers returning for more charming HEAs. I believe we will soon see him on the same level as Sarah Beth Durst and Tricia O'Malley!
I can't wait to read more related stories, perhaps he may share "magical ministries" in other cities!
If you like Spellshop, or Enchanted Greenhouse, you will enjoy this book.
1*🌶️ spice romance rating, and good for all ages..

⭐ Its my pleasure to give this new story a 5/5* rating.

Liz-In-Colorado🌹
Goodreads/Amazon Reviewer

This book is a delightful, low-stakes fantasy that just makes you smile.
The Ministry of Witches follows Aleda Vance, an accidental new Minister who has to figure out magical bureaucracy—think enchanted tea trolleys and temperamental, rune-covered elevators—while basically having zero clue what she's doing.
It's a fantastic "cozy fantasy" with gentle humor and a really warm, character-driven story. It's about finding your voice and proving that kindness is its own kind of power. If you like stories about everyday magic and quirky found families, this is a must-read for a feel-good escape.

I am giving the Ministry of Witches by @Dael Astra a good 4 ⭐. This book was a page turner with a fast paced story.
In a crumbling Ministry of Witches, Adela is left to fight to keep the ministry alive.
I enjoyed how Aleda is a strong feminine character, with imposter syndrome that has amazing ideas and great social skills.
The whole story was very cosy and I would read it again as a yearly cosy October read. I definitely recommend this book to anyone that wants an easy, cosy and heartwarming read.

A cozy, whimsical fantasy that completely charmed me. I loved Aleda’s quiet strength and the way the story blended everyday office chaos with magical mischief. It’s clever, comforting, and beautifully written. The pacing is gentle, but that’s part of what makes it so enjoyable. Perfect for fans of cozy, character-driven fantasy.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy — I really enjoyed this magical escape!

NetGalley/Amazon/Goodreads Reviewer

This book is like a warm cup of enchanted tea on a rainy day — cozy, whimsical, and quietly powerful.

We follow Aleda Vance, a botanist who accidentally becomes the Minister of Witches in a magical version of New York’s bureaucracy. Think enchanted elevators, mischievous runes, and a refreshment trolley that knows exactly what you need. It’s charming chaos, and Aleda’s gentle resilience is the heart of it all.

The cast is delightful — from the prickly archivist Juliene (hello, slow-burn romance) to a security cat with glowing green eyes. There’s humor, heart, and a whole lot of magical mischief. But beneath the whimsy, it’s a story about leadership, kindness, and finding your voice when the world expects you to stay quiet.

If you love cozy fantasy with found family vibes, botanical magic, and stories that make you smile — this one’s a gem.

My thanks to Dael Astra, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC.

What a delightful and charming story of a magical bureaucracy! This has so many sweet and fun aspects; a pantry that thinks it's a drunken sailor with a bottomless supply of rum, a drama queen elevator that requires a passionate monologue to get to your destination and a sweet enchanted tea trolley that anticipates your comfort needs with the perfect tea. I found myself with a smile on my face throughout the story.

The lead works as a junior examiner in a national ministry that licenses covens, audits spellwork, and investigates magical harm. The book lets her job drive the story. Field visits, permit interviews, archive pulls, and late night incident reports all matter to what happens next. I liked how the rules are presented inside scenes. Binding spells have forms. Hexes leave measurable residue. Unregistered familiars trigger fines. It reads like a world that could function on Monday morning. The central idea is simple. Safety and freedom are always in tension, and the lead has to decide when to follow protocol and when to take a risk. The partner dynamic works too. He is experienced without being smug, and their disagreements are about evidence, not personality. The case structure gives each section a clear goal and the final investigation ties the small infractions to a larger pattern in a way that makes sense. Light romance builds slowly and never moves the focus away from the work.

A few things could be sharper. The middle carries two overlapping threads for a bit too long, which blurs urgency until the cases connect. One internal antagonist mostly speaks in warnings about optics, and I wanted a single early scene that shows why they believe red tape is protection rather than obstruction. I also would have liked one quieter chapter that shows the lead’s life outside the office before the pressure spikes, just to anchor what she stands to lose. The finish lands well. Consequences stick, the system changes a little rather than overnight, and the door is open for more cases without leaving this one unresolved.

I really enjoyed The Ministry of Witches from start to end, reading it during Halloween added up to the experience.

The Ministry of New York is into chaos because it was managed badly for years. Now its only hope for continue to work falls on the shoulders of the new, inexperienced and underrated Minister, Aleda Vance.

The characters start as strangers who don't trust one another, and they end as a family, dysfunctional but still a family.
I liked to follow Aleda in this journey, from a shy gardner to an accomplished Minister of Witched. When she's doubting herself is a torture, but I've appreciated her even more for her wits and her empathy, and the love for every creature and their well-being.

Dael Astra greatly depicted a different world, made of bizarre creatures, that still feels relatable.

Oooh, what a cozy and whimsical magical fantasy this one was! The worldbuilding and plot were incredible even though some descriptions got a few eyebrow raises from me. I did love all of the characters.

3.75⭐️ Admittedly, “cozy” isn’t my usual go to genre but with fall currently in full swing something about this book just called out to me.

My attention was immediately grabbed from the very first page when Adela argues with the elevator. I enjoyed the whimsical world-building, silly humor and character-driven storyline. Adele’s character was a pillar of determination throughout the story even when faced with adversity from some of the other Ministry leaders while also struggling with her own self doubt. I appreciated the story’s message and glad I gave this one a chance.

Thank you, NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of The Ministry of Witches. It was a fun read.

A cosy low stakes fantasy that absolutely captivated me right from the very start. I couldn't put it down i devoured it in one sitting

⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Clever, Magical, and Wonderfully Engaging

The Ministry of Witches is a delightful blend of mystery, charm, and modern witchcraft. Dael Astra creates a world that feels fresh and imaginative, filled with clever magical details and a cast of characters who are quirky, flawed, and easy to root for. The setting is vibrant and full of personality, making every chapter feel like stepping deeper into a bustling, enchanted underworld.

A few pacing dips keep it from a perfect five, but the sharp writing, fun magical twists, and warm character dynamics make it an enchanting and thoroughly enjoyable read. A perfect pick for anyone who loves contemporary magic with heart.

An interesting blend of magical chaos, self discovery and super slow burn, will they won't they romance.

I enjoyed this one. I loved Aleda the female protagonist in this. So different from your typical self assured FMC. There was something just so adorable about her live of the plants, the different way she looked at the world and magic and her self doubts.

This really made the storyline for me. Loved the way she fell into the role of Minister of magic in such a random way, and the chaos around this. But also the way she totally turned won everyone over. Perfect example of how its ok to be different!

The storyline was fun, it was often adorable how the Ministry was in chaos, and how different all the characters were. Absolutely loved the twins in this.

A light hearted cosy vibes fantasy worth a read when you are looking for a change of pace.