ARC Book Review: *Rewitched* by Lucy Jane Wood

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 stars)

Lucy Jane Wood’s *Rewitched* is a spellbinding journey of self-discovery, resilience, and the rekindling of magic within the ordinary. This cozy autumnal fantasy envelops readers in the charming world of Belladonna Blackthorn, a witch whose spark needs a bit of rekindling.

Overview:
Belladonna, known as Belle, is juggling her life at Lunar Books, a beloved London bookshop, while concealing her witchcraft from the world. Overwhelmed by a toxic boss and the day-to-day challenges, her magic feels like a distant memory. As she turns thirty, Belle receives a summons from her coven, thrusting her into a trial that will determine her future as a witch. With the clock ticking down to the end of October, Belle must navigate dark forces, seek help from her coven, and perhaps even lean on an unexpected ally, the coven watchman.

Themes and Elements:
1. **Found Family:** The warmth and support from the women in Belle’s life highlight the importance of a chosen family. This element of the story is deeply heartwarming and beautifully portrayed.
2. **Slow-Burn Romance:** Belle’s interactions with the coven watchman provide a delightful and gradual build-up of romance, adding depth to the narrative without overshadowing Belle’s personal journey.
3. **Self-Love and Empowerment:** At its core, *Rewitched* is a tale of self-empowerment. Belle’s journey is a testament to the power of self-love and the importance of believing in one’s own worth.
4. **Magic and Witchcraft:** The enchanting elements of witchcraft are seamlessly woven into the fabric of everyday life, making for a magical yet relatable read.

Character Development:
Belle’s character arc is compelling and relatable. Her struggles with burnout and self-doubt are portrayed with authenticity, making her triumphs all the more satisfying. The supporting characters, especially the coven members and the enigmatic watchman, enrich the story and provide a solid backbone for Belle’s journey.

Writing Style:
Lucy Jane Wood’s writing is engaging and evocative, capturing the essence of a cozy, magical London. The narrative flows smoothly, and the vivid descriptions transport readers right into the heart of Belle’s world. The dialogue is sharp and often infused with humor, adding to the book’s charm.

Final Thoughts:
*Rewitched* is a delightful read that blends magic, romance, and self-discovery into a captivating story. It’s perfect for those who enjoy a touch of fantasy grounded in real-life struggles and triumphs. The book’s uplifting message about finding and embracing one’s inner magic is both inspiring and heartwarming.

Highly recommended for fans of cozy fantasies, witchcraft, and character-driven stories. *Rewitched* will leave you enchanted and eager for more from Lucy Jane Wood.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan MicMillan for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.**

4.5 ⭐

"Rewitched" is a cozy contemporary fantasy written by Lucy Jane Wood, here at her debut.

What a wonderfully sweet story! This novel captured me from the very first pages, transporting me to a quiet corner of a delightfully autumnal London, among rainy days, brightly colored trees, tea and various treats, an extremely cozy and adorable bookstore, and lots of effervescent magic. Seriously, reading this book gave me the feeling of being wrapped in a warm embrace, curled up in a comfortable cocoon, perfectly serene and relaxed.

The evocative, lyrical and enchanting writing completely bewitched me, absorbing me with its highly vivid and curated descriptions. I was easily able to picture the various places in the story, the characters, and much more, thanks to the attention paid to detail.

The story talks about magic, but before that it deals with the difficulties and unforeseen events of life, how things do not always turn out as desired, sacrifices and renunciations, broken hopes and dreams, discouragement and self-loathing. At the same time, however, it is also a story about healing, finding self-confidence, not giving up hope, learning to accept and love oneself, life, and much more. An emotional book that moved me repeatedly, leaving me with tears in my eyes at certain moments. It is a slow, quiet novel that takes its time, without any rush. I loved everything about it and can express nothing but compliments!

Belladonna (Belle) Blackthorn, protagonist with her only first person pov, won me over! Belle is the representation of what I said above and I found myself bonding with her a lot! I found her profound, portrayed in an excellent way, and with fantastic development. She made me laugh, smile and suffer, involving me totally. The secondary characters are incredible, perfectly distinguishable from each other and full of sentiment. The found family that develops between the pages then is something so tender! I think I melted while reading the bonds that are created between the characters! Also, there is not a lack of really sweet slow burn romance, marginal to the story but still tasty!

All in all "Rewitched" is an extremely cozy and heartwarming fantasy novel that I absolutely loved and recommend to lovers of the genre as the perfect fall read!

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Belladonna Blackthorn turns 30 and learns she needs to use her magical powers or lose them after failing a magical trial from her coven. With the help of a number of witches and Warlocks Bella begins to rediscover her magic and has to solve a mystery along the way.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of this year so I was very keen to read it. It took me a little longer to get into it than I thought it would but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved Bella and the supporting characters, especially Jinks the cat and Ariadne her best friend. I would definitely recommend it especially for people who love fantasy witchy reads.

Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a cosy, delightful little read! I was buzzing to get an early copy of this book and it did not disappoint. It was jam packed of everything I absolutely wanted/needed and it was a total delight.

I really enjoyed the relationships and character development throughout and my only 'gripe' is that we didn't get more time to see Belle's transition of taking over Lunar properly. (which would have just been as novelty to the reader really, everything else was really wrapped up wonderfully).

I liked the twists and turns, I liked the magic, I LOVED how wholesome it all was.

A perfect little read and a definite re-read over Halloween! Thank you!!!

A cosy witchy read with a good premise. I feel that it could benefit from a tauter pace as I found it quite slow to get started, and a little lacking in terms of characterisation. This could be a nice easy read for the autumn,

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Rewitched is a cozy, magical, autumnal read with a mix of fantasy, contemporary and slow-burn romance.

It’s not a cozy fantasy read without a bookstore, Rewitched follows Belladonna Blackthorn, a witch who receives a summons on her 30th birthday to attend a Equiwitch Trial to test her ability and worthiness as a witch. After being given one month to learn to master her magic, Belle seeks out a mentor to teach her about her magic. Unfortunately, darker magic is working against her, Belle with her mother, mentor and watchman must come together. After all the only thing darkness cannot fight is the light.

Belle has been working at Lunar Books for most of her adult life, living a quiet life, working for a sweet old lady named Violet and her crappy son Christopher (he deserves being called crappy). After hiding her magic for most of her adult life, Belle is out of touch with her magical core, which is not what you want when you are about to tested for magical neglect and if found guilty, you risk losing your magic completely. Belle, is different to other protagonists I’ve read recently in that she’s advertised as recently turning 30 and it’s nice to read about characters that are going from their late 20s to 30. Being 25 myself I have yet to feel the pressure of 30 but that way that Belle, felt turning 30 that sense of wanting and uncertainty in oneself is a feeling I know all too well and was glad to explore. We get to follow Belle as she finds happiness with herself but also finds family. The writing style was lovely and whimsical with a light quality about it, making Rewitched a pleasant read. Rune is so cute, and adorable is his clumsy pursuit of Belle.

Rewitched was a cozy read, I’m almost sad to have read it in the summer in the blistering heat instead of by the window, with mug of tea while it snows. I look forward to a winter reread instead.

Rewitched releases on the 19th of September 2024, and is available at all good bookstores, with a special edition being offered at Waterstones.

Thank you to NetGalley, Pan MacMillan and Lucy Jane Wood for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the sort of book that I’ve been wanting to read!! Such a comforting read with very likeable characters. The story follows witch and London bookstore worker, Belladonna Blackthorn, who on her 30th birthday, has to prove that she’s worthy of the magic she possesses. As a reader of primarily romance, I was slightly nervous to read this as it was advertised as a cosy fantasy, but I think that this is the perfect intro into fantasy as it was set in our world but still included that sense of cosy magic.

It’s the perfect example of ‘show, don’t tell’ in a book as everything was very descriptive which made it very easy to visualise what was happening whilst reading.

Belle was such an endearing and relatable protagonist and I really enjoyed reading her story. Despite her not being “normal” in the sense of her magic, her struggles with balancing work, burnout and trying to hide her true self from others around her made her feel so real which is what we always want to see in a book.

The *only* thing that made this a 4 star and not a 5 star for me was that the beginning of the book felt a little slow for me. It took a while to get the story going and I would have loved to have jumped straight into the story then understand all of the backstory towards the beginning of the book. The backstory could have feel unveiled throughout the book to keep the tension there and keep us asking questions, if that makes sense.

Nonetheless, this book as exiting and comforting and felt like a big autumn hug! I can’t wait to watch Lucy’s author career blossom and am excited for future books that she releases. Based on the way that this book was written, I’d love to see her write a book that’s more of a romance. I think that her voice and writing style would really fit this 😊

The world building and attention to detail in Rewitched is excellent and really tries to capture the essence of October and that magic. But it did feel that scenes were over described almost like I was reading in slow motion resulting in not much time passing between the initial conflict of Belle at her trial. That being said the author is definitely a skilled writer and conjures up detailed scenes, settings and a diverse and colourful array of characters that immerse the reader into this world. I would say that despite the references to London like the tube or Highgate cemetery, I didn’t get an idea of where Lunar Books was situated in London.

I enjoyed the way the author dealt with sensitive topics such as body image and using her magic to make her fit in and be confident within society. This is done very well and goes in hand with the over arching and clever metaphor for burn out within a job through losing your spark and magic that makes up someone's essence. The pace was my biggest negative, nothing really happens until 70% in terms of action and conflict. The tasks were repetitive and could have caused more havoc in Belle’s life such as public displays of magic at her work.

The power of love, friendship and self belief is very important and is at the forefront on the book and draws everything together. Belle did come across as a character much younger than thirty and naive to point of slightly annoying, but the author clearly captures her anxiety and lacking self - confidence through her personality that is counter balanced by her mentor, family and friends who bolster and encourage Belle to succeed and find inner strength. This dynamic was well written and provided comfort to Belle and her struggles.

The love interest of Rune missed an element of emotion or learning about his character aside from him being old and devoting himself to magic and the coven, he isn’t given much of a personality aside from a brooding hero. Also, the villain wasn’t supported as much by the plot and felt disjointed, I think this would have benefitted from some foreshadowing or something to alert the reader to hidden meanings to create a greater impact and threat.

Overall, one of the best witchy books I’ve read that focuses on world building and the history of the coven with interesting characters. A must read to get into the halloween spirit and a cosy read.

This is Witch -Lit (think Chick - Lit) but with withces in. It is light and fun and such an easy read but there are a few elements going on here. We have our main character Belle still trying to find herself and on top of that she is a witch and has to discover who she is in that world as well before it's too late!
There is a little romance, a little mystery and just general drama going on but you will devour this book with delight.

I received this book as an ARC and provide my honest review

A really good, magical story. The writing is descriptive and engaging and I enjoyed reading it. Would definitely recommend if you’re a fan of witchy vibes and the found family trope.

It's probably a good thing that I write my reviews first on Instagram and that there is a character limit. Otherwise you may have ended up with an essay about how much I loved this book.

This plot has so many elements that I love. It is a contemporary, magical story with some mystery and romance sprinkled in there. Whilst I guessed one of the plot twists, it did not take away from my enjoyment of the plot.

The characters are all amazing. I connected so much with Belle. There are so few stories out there about people in their 30s who don't have their lives all figured out. This was the perfect story for me at this time in my life (as someone who has just turned 30). It felt like the book gave me a mug of hot tea, wrapped me in a blanket and gave me a big hug. This is the cosy feeling this book gives you.

The rest of the characters are also amazing as well. I loved Belle's family and found family so much. I want them all wrapped in bubble-wrap.

Wood's writing style is absolutely beautiful (poetic at times), humorous and emotional. This was so easy to read and I just wanted to devour this book. I had to stop myself reading it several times so that I could drag out the reading experience.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cosy, witchy books. I have already pre-ordered the signed special edition of this book from Waterstones and I'm so glad I did. This book will be released on 19th September, so make sure you check it out.

Thanks to NetGalley, Lucy Jane Wood and Pan Macmillan for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

What a comforting book! Reading it was a great pleasure, so much so that I was willing to overlook some flaws in the plot.

"Rewitched" tells the story of Belladonna Blackthorn, a witch who works in a London bookshop. On her 30th birthday, she must prove herself worthy of the magic she possesses. The book is advertised as cozy fantasy, and indeed it can be considered as such, but in the best sense of the word. Most of the cozy fantasy novels I've read have been rather boring, and I had to push myself to get through them. "Rewitched" is the complete opposite. The book is absolutely fast-paced, and you can even finish it in a day. Seriously, I think that is the biggest advantage of this novel. It's really not easy to write a book that feels cozy and exciting at the same time. The reason for this may be that the author simply writes very well. "Rewitched" is written in accessible language, with descriptive but not overly elaborate passages. It just reads well, so much so that even in moments when the plot wasn't quite working for me, I had a great time.

Speaking of the book's shortcomings, it is important to point out that the plot unfolds rather slowly. The first 30% of the book feels like an extended synopsis. Of course, this doesn't mean that a third of the novel is bad or boring, but we just don't learn anything new in the first 120 pages that we didn't already know from the description on the cover. I also felt that the ending, specifically the identity of the villain and the way the main conflict was resolved, was poorly supported by the plot and thus not very believable. I won't go into detail to avoid spoilers, but when I found out who was behind the whole intrigue, it felt more like a plot necessity with little to do with the earlier characterization of this person. Speaking of the main character, Belle, I have to admit that I didn't really like her. She wasn't thoroughly annoying, but a lot of her behavior seemed incomprehensible to me, and some of her reactions were cringe-inducing. However, I really enjoyed Belle's relationship with her mentor and the whole found family aspect. The protagonist's dynamic with her loved ones certainly adds to the cozy aspect of the book. There is also a romance subplot in the novel, but it is definitely not brought to the forefront and appears rather late in the book. I have some reservations about how it was handled, but that's mainly due to the aforementioned fact that I didn't like the main character.

Being aware of the obvious shortcomings, I wondered how to rate this novel. In the end, I concluded that reading should first and foremost be an activity that brings joy, and I had a very good time with this book. Paradoxically, this is probably the best witch novel I have come across in years. It's also a perfect read for autumn, and I regret not saving it for that season. Therefore, I can recommend it with a clear conscience to anyone looking for a fun, fast-paced book with a witchy vibe that is perfect for Halloween. It will be a feel-good reading experience!

I've followed Lucys socials for a good while now and I was super excited to find out she had written a book.

This was a fantastic debut with incredibly relatable characters and filled with Lucy's charm and wit. I thought the bickering and banter between Belle and Rune was quite funny and we all need a bestie like Ari ❤️

The plot was solid but the thing I enjoyed more than anything else was the characters. Lucy definitely has a way of writing loveable and interesting characters. I hope to see more from her!

This book was a warm, witchy hug.

After turning 30, Belle needs to prove to her coven that she has what it takes to continue her witchery- but when the council aren’t convinced, she needs the helping hand of a new mentor (and fluffy familiar) to realise the magic in, well, magic.

With a dash of romance (in the form of a Luke Dains coded mmc), a helping of beautiful friendships, a sprinkling of fantastic friendships and a sprig of self-belief, this book is the perfect potion for cosy autumn afternoons on the sofa with a blanket.

Lucy Wood has smashed her debut with a heartwarming and magical novel.

Thank you NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for the ARC.

4.5/5 stars

The story follows Belladonna Blackthorn who on approach to her 30th birthday, is struggling to balance her job at Lunar Books and hiding her witchcraft from non magical people. All of this leaves her disconnected with her magic. When her birthday finally arrives, she’s summoned to a trial by her coven to see if she is worthy of keeping her magic. She fails and is left with a second chance to reconnect with her magic before Halloween or lose her magic forever.

This is a perfect read for those cozy, autumnal vibes. With a cast of a loyal friends, a not what you’re expecting mentor and a charming but not so smooth love interest, it’s a really fun story about found family and self love.

The writing style is very descriptive which isn’t usually my cup of tea but I found that I could easily digest it which was great. I also just love Belladonna, I think she’s a relatable and hilarious character. I loved the theme of self love throughout and felt very seen through Belladonna’s lack of self worth and belief in herself. There was something Belle said at one point about how everyone has their own brand of magic in them which was it’s own kind of beauty that just really made me smile, I think that was a beautiful message and sentiment. The rest of the characters as well were a lot of fun and quite quirky and it was just a joy to read.

The plot was also very well done as the author took the time to really build the world and history and that therefore made the trials that take place in the book actually feel purposeful and not something that was just constructed to cause conflict for the character. I will admit I predicted a tiny part of the plot twist but for the most part, it surprised me and was really cleverly done.
My only problem with this book is that it is extremely slow to start out and it takes a while for the story to really get going. I would have also loved a little bit more about Rune but I appreciated that the story’s main focus was Belle and her journey of self discovery.

I would definitely recommend to anybody who loves cozy fantasies with witches and bookshops.

Title: Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood

Release Date: September, 19th, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars


Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood is a delightful, cozy read that combines magic, romance, and self-discovery in a heartwarming narrative. It’s everything I wanted in an autumnal, witchy read and more.

What I Enjoyed:

* Descriptive Writing:
* The writing style is incredibly descriptive, allowing me to vividly visualise the locations and magic system. It felt like stepping into a fully realised world where magic and reality coexist seamlessly.
* Engaging World-Building:
* The author clearly enjoyed building this world and took the time to set everything up properly. This made me fully committed to Belle and her development by the time her trials began. The magical elements were well-explained and felt integral to the story.
* Relatable Protagonist:
* Belladonna Blackthorn, or Belle, is a relatable and endearing protagonist. Her struggles with burnout, balancing work, and hiding her true self from others made her journey compelling and realistic.
* Realistic Themes:
* The story beautifully captures the theme that life often gets in the way of our dreams and hopes. It felt very realistic, despite the paranormal setting, showing how unexpected twists can change our paths.
* Found Family:
* The theme of found family is heartwarming. Belle's relationships with the women in her life, her mentor, and even the watchman whose sworn to protect her add depth and warmth to the story.
* Slow Burn Romance:
* The slow burn romance between Belle and the (infuriatingly handsome) watchman was perfectly paced. The chemistry between them was palpable, adding a layer of tension and excitement to the narrative.


Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood is a wonderful, wholehearted cozy novel that I couldn’t put down. With its engaging world-building, relatable protagonist, and perfect blend of magic, romance, and life’s realities, it’s a book that will leave you feeling warm and enchanted. If you love heartwarming and cozy paranormal stories, this book is a must-read.


Thank you to The Publisher Pan Macmillan | Macmillan ,The Author Lucy Jane Wood & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars - a cosy fantasy with witches and bookshops.

Bella, a modern day witch, who works at a bookshop, learns of a secret trial all witches must take on their 30th birthday to decide whether he or she, is worthy of keeping their magic. After failing the test she is granted 30 days to prove her worthiness in all 6 branches of magic and is assigned a banished coven member as a tutor.

A really cosy autumnal read set in October. Full of found family, friendships, a small smidgen of romance and learning to love yourself.

I really loved Bella and found her so funny throughout the story. I connected to her really easily with her confidence issues and lack of “adulting” I loved watching her grow and learning to trust herself.

I absolutely adored the character of Arty - from the moment we meet him I could sense there was something more to his story than what was initially let on. I was happily surprised to learn about his family members and how his banishment came about.

The only small issues I had with the book was the slow pacing at the start of the story and the character of Rune. Rune being the main love interest I felt like we didn’t really know him at all and would have loved some more background to his character. With him being the age he was I felt like the author could have had a lot of fun with his past adventures.

Would highly recommend as a cosy autumn read or for anyone who enjoys a good witchy book!

A lovely cosy fantasy book. The main characters are great and Belle is so easy to root for. The pacing is excellent and the writing flows well. Raced through it in just a few hours and was left wishing I still had more left. Found family. Underlying themes of trusting in yourself. Just great.

My only real gripe is that Christopher is just a bit OTT and distracting. Thankfully he’s only in it a few times.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars (rounded for goodreads) I will put a more spoiler filled review up once this book is released, but it is fair to say I thoroughly enjoyed my time within this book. All of the characters were so lovely and endearing and I liked the 'found family' vibes and the tiny sprinkle of romance. Our main character was easy to root for and want the best for and I had a great time following her journey.

Thanks to netgalley, the publishers Pan Macmillan and the author Lucy Jane Wood for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A dreamy cosy fantasy with real heart.

Belle is dealing with the very real problem of being a woman about to turn 30 let alone a witch. She is kind and loved but in desperate need of some self-belief.

The allegory of Belle stepping into her powers for finding her confidence is a comforting one that many will relate too.

The bookshop setting is dreamy and the magic was remiscent of all your favourite teen witch movies.

With real peril at points and a compelling love story there is plenty of plot to be found outside of the cosy atmosphere.