Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood is a whimsical, delightful story that weaves magic, friendship, and a dash of self-discovery into a captivating, heartwarming and fun read. The book follows a relatable protagonist named Belle who's navigating the ups and downs of life while grappling with her magical abilities. Wood excels at creating quirky, lovable characters that feel real, even in a world of spells and enchantments.

The humor in the book is spot-on, balancing lighthearted moments with emotional depth. You’ll find yourself laughing one minute and feeling genuinely moved the next. Wood's writing is warm and conversational, making it easy to slip into her magical world.

It I had to be nitpicky, I found the pacing in the first few chapters to be a teeny tiny bit slow, as the story takes time to establish its foundation. But once the plot starts moving, it picks up beautifully, leading to a satisfying and heartfelt conclusion.

What truly sets Rewitched apart is its charm—it’s not just about magic, but about growth, friendship, and finding your place in a world that can feel chaotic at times. This book is a must-read for fans of cosy, witchy adventures with a lot of heart. Perfect for this time of year.

🧙🏻‍♀️🔮🪄"Rewitched" by Lucy Jane Wood is a delightful autumnal read that captures the cozy atmosphere of a witch's life, as she prepares to embrace her full magic! With its charming characters, heartwarming friendships, and a touch of magic, this book is perfect for curling up with a cup of hot chocolate on a chilly day.

📝 The story is filled with magical elements, switching between spellcasting, potion-making, and mysterious trials for the main character. The trials undertook by Belladonna (Bella) on her journey of witchy self-discovery is relatable and inspiring, as she overcomes her doubts and learns to believe in herself. The supporting characters, including her best friend Ariadne and the enigmatic Rune, add depth and complexity to the narrative. That’s all I’m going to say as anything more risk spoiling the reading experience and it would be such a pity to steal this unique bookish experience!

While the pacing may be a bit slow in the beginning, the story picks up momentum as the mystery surrounding Bella's magic unfolds. The second half of the book is particularly engaging, with intriguing plot twists and a satisfying conclusion.

⭐ All in all, "Rewitched" is a delightful blend of magic, romance, and self-discovery. With its charming characters, cozy setting, and heartwarming themes, this book is sure to enchant readers of all ages.

Pan Macmillan | Macmillan, NetGalley, and the editorial team - thanks for giving me the opportunity to review an e-book ARC of this publication!

Estimated publication date: 19-Sept-2024

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#Rewitched #NetGalley #LifeLongLearning

3.5 stars!

With the weather here getting more autumnal, I think I've read this book at the perfect time!
Even though I did enjoy the book in general, I will have to say that the first third to half of the book did feel a bit slow, and it did take me quite a while to get involved with the story. The second half of the book was way more interesting and gripping with the romance and mystery aspect being more present. The relationship of Arty and Belle was one of my favourites!
I loved that when Belle started believing in herself and becoming more brave, great things started to happen and she could show what she's really capable of.
One thing that stuck with me was a quote from Arty "what's the best that can happen?"

I'd recommend this book if you're into witchy autumnal reads. :)

Born a witch, Belle Blackthorn has always been surrounded by magic, but as she nears her 30th birthday her grasp on her powers feels looser than ever. Rewitched is a cozy autumnal read that feels like a perfect mug of hot chocolate, the ideal amount of sweet moments mixed with rich emotional depth and topped off with a swirl of romance.

The plot is driven by Belle's quest to retain her magic after she fails her Endarkenment - the secret trial that wicche folk must take part in to prove they're worthy of their powers. After a loophole is found in the magical tome that governs the life of Belle's coven, she is given only one month to master the core tenants of witch-hood that she has spent the last fifteen years ignoring. She has to carefully balance this with keeping her powers secret from her non-magical best friend and saving her bevolved bookshop, Lunar Books, from being managed into the ground by a finance bro with a bad attitude and even worse ideas.

I truly loved Belle as a protagonist, and I loved seeing her grow in confidence and ability as the book progressed. For anyone who is chronically anxious and consistently gets in their own way, I know you'll identify with Belle like I did and feel buoyed by her power when you finish the final page. This book did more for my confidence and self-belief than any of self help book I've picked up in the last decade.

As an aspiring author, Rewitched is one of those books that I just wish I could have written myself. I was shocked to learn that this was Lucy Jane Wood's debut novel, and I'm eagerly awaiting her next release!

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

A fantastic mix of bookshop charm and mystical witchery that I felt beautifully grasped a wonderful balance between fantasy drama, peril and romance.
I loved Bella's character and the background to her current predicament, the book really centres around her discovering what really matters to her and the growth of her own self belief & power.
This is an empowering, magical, escapist novel perfect for Autumn.

I could not put this book down! It is a perfect blend of cosy autumnal vibes, lovable characters, animal companions, and a high stakes plot self-discovery & self-love with a splash of romance for good measure. I loved it!

I thought it was the right book for me as I'm a cosy-anything reading moment and the blurb was full of promises.
I had fun and enjoyed a lot of aspects of this book but there're two big BUT:
- Bella: I spent the book hoping she was going to grow a spine and became her own woman but it didn't happen. She would be the right person for managing the bookshop, a good witch and blah-blah
She spent her life moping and felling not up to do what she's already doing
- The page: the beginning is promising that it gets very slow till the 50%

There's a lot of potential, there's humour, and I would to read another book featuring this magical system and Bella as a grown adult.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was a great magical story which transported me into a different realm. It is basically the story of Bonnie, a witch who doesn’t use her powers enough. She finds out on the eve of her 30th birthday that her magical powers can be removed from her unless she passes a bunch of tests. However there of malevolence afoot, trying to stop her fulfilling the quest and to oust her from the coven for good

If you put realism to the side and escape into another world, you should enjoy this book

Rewitched is the perfect book for the changing season - cosy, warm and magical ✨

Belle Blackthorn's 30th birthday celebrations are interrupted by a magical test she needs to pass in order to keep her powers. But between her demanding boss and her efforts to keep her magic secret from her roommate and best friend, those magical powers haven't had much use over the past ten years. Belle is given a last chance to prove herself worthy of her magic - a crash course in spell casting and potion brewing from a mentor with a dark past.

Rewitched is set in a cosy book shop, is filled with laugh-out-loud moments, and features an adorable pet cat - I don't think it needs anything more to sell it than that! But in case you need more, it also has shocking twists, dark secrets and cosy spells, and a main character you can't help but love.

A treat and a delight - it's such a pleasure to see Lucy come into her own as a writer and deliver a debut novel that is so quintessentially her.
REWITCHED is a gentle, witchy read, as well as a coming of age brought by entering a new decade of life, that'll ease you into the spooky season. There is something very comforting and nostalgic about it in the veins of things like Charmed and Practical Magic.

actual rating 2.5⭐

I don't really understand what is happening in this book. Since beginning I got so bored to the point I want to DNF this book. I actually love the concept but I think the executions not going well and the written is not my style.

Hand on heart, this just might be the most comforting, cosy, magical book to ever exist. It’s like curling up with a hot chocolate, and a cat, on a chilly autumn evening. It’s a long hug from a friend you haven’t seen in a while. It’s a reassuring pat on the shoulder, telling you that it’s never to late to try. It’s practically everything I love distilled down into book form, and I’m about to rave about it, so buckle up.

Belle Blackthorn is about to turn thirty, and is drifting along in her life. Too scared to take over the bookshop she’s worked in for years, and never truly delving into the magic she was bestowed with at 15, she’s approaching the big 3-0 with the usual mix of emotions. Until it turns out that her coven tests witches on their 30th birthdays, to see what magical feats they’ve achieved, and if they’re ‘worthy’ of keeping their magic. Belle, who tends to use her magic to exclusively tidy up the children’s section of the bookshop, and whip up cups of tea while she sits on the sofa, is suddenly confronted with the real possibility that she might lose her magic…but thanks to a magical loophole, she’s granted the month of October to try and set things right, rediscover her sense of self, keep hold of the magic that she holds so dear, and just maybe grow closer to the watchman who’s been assigned to protect her from danger….

Every single page of this book felt infused with magic and love. I cannot overstate how heart-warming it is. It has the same warm, funny, and comforting feelings that media like Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Gilmore Girls, and Practical Magic have.

It’s got sparkly magic, a cosy bookshop, handsome (immortal) love interests, eccentric older characters, a thread of strong friendships, and a reminder to always believe in yourself and your own personal magic. What more could a person want in a book? (Note: I don’t know what you, personally, would want more of in a book, but if you’re anything like me the answer is nothing, and this book is practically perfect)

It’s also laugh out loud funny. I could so easily visual the settings, characters, and the jokes, and it just brought me so much joy, frankly. This is probably the sappiest review out there, but genuinely, I cannot overstate how happy this book made me.

Now, Lucy Jane Wood may be a debut author, but I have to admit that I’ve followed her online content for years. Sometimes, when reading a debut book from someone with an online presence, there can be a bit of trepidation (I’ve been burned before) - but I trusted Lucy, as I knew that she is someone who also truly loves books, and was already a writer for a living, alongside her content creation. Plus, it didn’t hurt that this book sounded right up my alley. I’m so happy to say that my trust was well placed. I truly think she’s achieved what she’s set out to do with this book, and she should be incredibly proud.

Now…I’m off to push this book into the hands of everyone I know. If you’re after something to warm your cockles this autumn, with a large sprinkling of cosy magic, you HAVE to pick this book up. Seriously. Please, do yourself a favour and run to the bookstore as soon as it’s out.

Thank you to the publishers, and Netgalley, for the copy to review.

Possibly the cutest, coziest most magical read of this year.

I’ve been waiting a while to read this, only because I needed it to be spooky season to read it, and it did not disappoint.

The family, friendships, the cute/shy sexual tension between the love interests is simply on point.

Belle deserves all the love in the world, I have not related to a character in so long (without the magic unfortunately) but I am so so proud of how ar she has come. Ari is the sweetest best friend to ever exist in this fictional world, and even if she doesn’t know that Belle is a witch I feel like she always knew something was different about her bestie. It’s also so refreshing to see the male main character get flustered and shy so easily, there’s such a balance between the cocky/confident side of him and his baby steps back when he’s kinda crossed a line and belle gets angry.

I need a Jinx in my life.

I wasn’t expecting so much mystery and all the riddles but was happily surprised by them and how our main characters deal with them. I am so happy they found love in the most random places.

Thank you so so much to netgalley and pan Macmillan for sending me an ARC in exchange of an honest review.

How wonderful it was! A perfect book for autumn!

There is magic, an old house with a soul, family secrets, discovering spells and one's abilities. There is also a clash with the normal world, where magic takes second place.

All of this combined creates a great result because I just couldn't put it down, and I’m already waiting for more!

And the handsome guys along the way... if there is a second part, I definitely want to have it!

A slow burner to begin with, but a rollercoaster of an ending.

We meet Belle as she is tackling changes at the bookshop where she works. A despicable new boss who is the son of the owner, thinks he knows best. He is progressively removing the appeal, some might say magic, that Belle has worked so hard to achieve.

We then learn that Belle is a witch and so maybe she has woven a little magic into her work at the bookshop. She could be in danger of losing the magic bestowed upon her on her 15th birthday. As now she is about to turn 30 the coven summon her to see how she has used her magic for the last 15 years. If they aren't satisfied with the evidence she could be about to lose her magic forever.

What follows is the mentoring she receives to try and pass the trial to retain her magic. I really liked the different trials and the magic, although at times it felt like it dragged a little as it was very descriptive. Belle is a great character as is her Mother Bonnie who is another witch. I didn't feel that I really got to know the other characters that well but towards the end of the book new depths to the characters were revealed.

Nice, but with room for improvement

"Rewitched" by Lucy Jane Wood is a witchy fantasy story about a witch who has to fight for her magic.

The cover promises a warm, cozy witchy story that I was really looking forward to.
The beginning of "Rewitched" captivated me pretty quickly!

Belladonna is a witch who hasn't used her witchy powers in recent years and has drifted further and further away from her witchy life. Bella works in a cute little bookstore and is seemingly living every bookworm's dream. However, this changes shortly before her 30th birthday. Shortly before her 30th birthday, the protagonist receives a letter from her coven telling her that she must take part in a test in order to keep her witch powers. Will she fight for her witch powers or would she rather live out her existence as a human without powers?

Unfortunately, the protagonist has not found a friend for life in me. Belladonna is insecure and doesn't believe in herself. She bites her tongue so often and doesn't say what she thinks that sometimes it really frustrated me. What really disappointed me was that she didn't really develop at all.

For me, the storyline got weaker and weaker. It was the many small inconsistencies that unfortunately made the story increasingly implausible for me. I would also have liked to have seen some character development, especially from Belladonna. The love story is more hinted at than developed, which is not a bad thing in itself. However, I found the course of the story a little too predictable and I missed the cozy vibes a little 🥹

Unfortunately, "Rewitched" only gets 2.5 out of 5 stars from me.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

What an absolutely charming witchy book this is! I fell in love with it early on and enjoyed watching Belle’s story unfold across the pages as she grappled with her magic and her purpose in life. As someone who recently turned thirty, and is also incredibly adept at talking myself out of things, I see a little of myself in Belle (though sadly, none of the magic!). Though the stakes are high and there are elements of danger, a lot of this story is incredibly heartwarming. I loved to see the friendships Belle was building, as well as the existing relationships in her life. It’s obvious she’s valued by friends, family, colleagues, and bosses, even if she doesn’t see it herself.

There were some unexpected twists along the way here, deceptions and secrets to uncover, and magic to learn. It kept me on my toes and was a sweet, fun read, drizzled with some life and death situations. The only thing that didn’t quite hit the mark for me was the blossoming romance between Belle and Rune. I adored Rune in all his quirkiness, including his goal to be mysterious that leans far more towards frightening. I thought he’d make an interesting character and so I was disappointed not to see more of him in the book, as I would have loved more scenes with him and Belle and to experience more of their romance than we got. That being said, it was otherwise the perfect read and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

Oh my goodness! This story was so much more than i had anticipated, it is so so cosy and to be honest it made me feel nostalgic and brought me back to my teen years watching Sabrina the teenage witch after school every day. I feel this has it all a cosy plot, a touch of whimsy and a gorgeous slow burn romance that gave me the fuzzies (that is a saying and i'm sticking to it!)

Absolute perfection especially with the autumn/spooky season incoming!

I really wanted to love "Rewitched." The cover is charming, and the description promised everything I look for in a cosy Autumn read. However, at 48% in, I simply couldn’t continue. The pacing is painfully slow, and despite the author’s skillful writing, the excessive descriptions bog down the story. Unfortunately, it felt like a chore to keep reading, and I ultimately had to DNF. While others may enjoy the detailed world-building, it just wasn’t for me.

This was such a fun read - and incidentally, while sometimes you read the blurb for a book and then, having read the book itself, you only see a vague resemblence, I thought the synopsis given for Rewitched was pretty much spot on. Cosy, autumnal, slow-burn witchy romantasy: check, check, check...

While there's some romance, of the aforementioned slow-burn variety, and the love interest ticks the 'book boyfriend' boxes, this is really more of a story of self-love. When we meet Belle she's well and truly stuck in the box she's created for herself, and the events of the story conspire to be every bit the kick up the rear end that she needs to find the gumption to take risks and believe in herself, to seize life, love and magic with both hands. Since this transformation is a whole process, it's safe to say there are plenty of times when I found Belle's self-sabotage grating - for the most part, though, the author did a great job in engendering enough sympathy, and I guess caring enough about a character to be annoyed when they're being obtuse is a sign of the right level of investment!

The magic system was probably a little more vague than I tend to enjoy - think JKR rather than Ben Aaronovitch (actually, the whole thing had a vibe of 'Harry Potter, but make it romantasy')- but I still really liked the world of Selcouth, the wicche/non-wicche setup, and the characterisation was great, as was the gentle humour and banter throughout. And of course, having the FMC be a bookseller was a nice touch - although I did feel that sometimes the whole thread with the bookshop was picked up and dropped where convenient, rather than being fully integral to the main story; this makes sense from the pov of the 'learning magic' element and needing to keep that the focus, but less sense when wanting Belle's hero moment in Lunar Books to have impact. And having her boss give her the place, rather than needing to actually take the financial risk/commitment she'd been avoiding, while nice, did make things a bit anti-climactic.

Despite any criticism I might have, this was a great read, particularly for a debut novel. While it felt like a complete standalone story, there was a sense that there was room for continuation, and I'd happily read more from this author in the future. Sits nicely on the bookshelf alongside Hex Appeal and similar cosy, witchy titles.