Impractical Magic by Emily Grimoire is a fun, quirky fantasy that combines magic with humor and heart. The story follows a young woman who discovers her magical abilities are more troublesome than useful, leading to a series of misadventures. Grimoire’s writing is light-hearted and witty, with strong character development and a touch of whimsy. The magical world is both charming and chaotic, making for an entertaining and engaging read. Fans of light fantasy and humorous stories will find Impractical Magic a delightful escape.

I could not get into this book. I tried to read it multiple times but struggled to connect with the characters and the writing style. I found the dialogue flat, the narration to be more focused on telling rather than showing, and the premise just did not pull me in.
I will not be reviewing this elsewhere.

While I found the plot of the story interesting, it didn't hold my attention. The story felt too predictable.

I liked the characters and enjoyed learning more about each of them. In general the relationships between the main character and side characters didn't come off as strong. Often when you read a story you can really feel the relationship, even with siblings, coming off the pages and I just didn't get that from this story. Especially the relationship between the females MC and who the love interest is supposed to be.

I can see where others would enjoy this story, but it wasn't for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but unfortunately it wasn’t for me. I almost feel as though I would have enjoyed the backstory a lot more than the book itself, and would have preferred to get to know each character gradually. It definitely has all of the cosy autumn vibes so may be worth trying out at this time of year.

Impractical Magic by Emily Grimoire is a cozy, witchy romance that blends elements of family dynamics, personal growth, and second-chance love, set against the enchanting backdrop of a small-town community.​
Scarlett Melrose, the middle child of a witch family, has distanced herself from her hometown of Oak Haven following a tragic accident that claimed her father's life. Years later, she is summoned back by her estranged sisters due to a mysterious curse affecting their mother's inn and the town's magic. Upon returning, Scarlett confronts her past, including unresolved feelings for her former flame, Nate, the local handyman. As she attempts to break the curse, Scarlett grapples with family tensions, rekindled romance, and her own sense of responsibility.​
Grimoire crafts relatable characters, particularly in the portrayal of the Melrose sisters' complex relationships. Scarlett's journey from guilt-ridden isolation to embracing her role within her family and community is central to the narrative. Nate's steadfast presence provides a grounding force, highlighting themes of forgiveness and enduring love.​
The novel explores themes of reconciliation, self-acceptance, and the importance of community. The small-town setting, reminiscent of "Gilmore Girls," combined with magical elements akin to "Charmed," creates a warm and inviting atmosphere. The story balances lighthearted moments with emotional depth, offering readers a comforting and engaging experience
Most definitely felt like the character development could have been more robust because of wanting so much more with the characters. I fell in love with the story, but the characters could have been more than what was portrayed. I would recommend as a palate cleanser, but I would not 100% recommend this to my book lovers because of the feeling of flat characters.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, the magic and the mystery. The magical world that was built was interesting, and I was very curious throughout the book of what was causing the troubles at Oak Haven and how Scarlett and her sisters were going to resolve the situation.

However one thing that caused me to not enjoy the book so much is that Scarlett is very immature. She acts and thinks like a teenager more than an adult. I 100% understood her leaving Oak Haven after her father’s death and her reason for staying away all that time, bu at some point she had to stop running from her issues. She lets the entire town blame her for all of their problems. She keeps being hot and cold with Nate, changing her mind about their relationship every chapter. It all worked out in the end, but it end on for too long in my opinion.

This was a great mix of gilmore girls, charmed and halloween town. Some of my favorite things!

I’m going to do a reread when it is fall outside! This made me want to be cozy in stars hollow! The mystery was fun and the sister dynamic was too good. The romance was a second chance friends to lovers and was okay but I wasn’t expecting it to be some great romance.

The puns and wit were so great and obviously a great reminder of gilmore girls! This was a great quick fluffy read!

Really loved this book! Great setting and the characters were great. Kept me intrigued throughout the book , it was a nice quick palette cleansing read! Highly recommend and I look forward to reading more from this author

I loved everything about this book. It was intriguing, cozy, and magical. An absolute must-read for anyone who enjoys fiction!
The pacing was great, the plot development was good, and I loved the characters.

This author is new to me, but I will be keeping an eye out for anything else they publish. I loved the story and the characters. The pacing of the story was great and the characters were relatable.

I really liked this one, it was cute and cozy with a bit of mystery thrown in. A great palette cleanser between books.

Did not finish. I just couldn’t get into the book at all, the writing wasn’t my style. Maybe I’ll try another time because the story was promising.

What a great story, I havev never read anything quite like this before and it was a real delight from beginning to the great conclusion. Some really good characters and it was easy to picture them and join the story with them.

Was hoping this would be a cute and heartwarming read like The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, but sadly it was not. Instead, it was full of terrible plot, a not well executed romance, really random bad guys, and flat characters. I cringed so much while reading this and glad I got through it fast so I didn’t have to waste too much time.

I wanted to love this as much as k loved the cover but it just didn’t land. Great idea, but dnf at 30%.

A whimsical cozy autumn read for anyone who loves small town magic vibes! The description caught my attention because I love Gilmore girls and charmed. I’m also a fan of grumpy sunshine so this was a cute read for me and I’d recommend to a friend!

Thank you netgalley for the arc!

This one was such a cozy slow burn romance and perfect for the fall. I love a good witchy romance and this one hit the spot!

Thank you to Netgalley & Avon Books UK for the chance to read in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy! I just couldn't get in the mood for this one, but I do love this author!

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔾𝕚𝕤𝕥:
Scarlett Melrose receives a distressing call from her estranged sisters about a curse plaguing their mother’s inn, compelling her to return home despite her anxiety as the conflicted middle child. Upon her arrival, she unexpectedly encounters Nate, her charming old flame and handyman, which complicates her already tumultuous emotions. When a spell intended to break the curse backfires spectacularly, Scarlett yearns to escape back to her quiet life in San Francisco. However, realizing she can't keep running from her problems, she must gather all the help she can to untangle the magical chaos and confront her family's challenges head-on.

𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕋𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤:
💫 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘺 𝘷𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘴
🏡 𝘚𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯
💞 𝘚𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴
🔮 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘴

𝕊𝕚𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕒𝕣 𝕍𝕚𝕓𝕖𝕤:
📚 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰 ʙʏ ʙʀᴇᴀɴɴᴇ ʀᴀɴᴅᴀʟʟ

𝕄𝕪 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰 was a fun mix of 𝗚𝗶𝗹𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗹 meets 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗻 with a sprinkle of 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱. This is a nice, cozy fall read with lots of witchy vibes.

Overall, I have mixed feelings about this one. There were some things I really enjoyed; the sisterhood dynamics, the mystery element, and the overall autumnal atmosphere. However, some things really fell flat for me. I wanted more from the characters in general; they all felt a bit flat and one-dimensional in my opinion. The conflicts also seemed to get a little repetitive and appeared to just magically wrap up in the end.

Overall, this really did have great 𝗚𝗶𝗹𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗹𝘀 vibes, and was an enjoyable low-stakes, magical fall read.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄.

𝕄𝕪 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (𝟹.𝟻/𝟻)

𝕊𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕖 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
🫑 (𝚏𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚔)

Unfortunately, I was unable to finish the book before it was archived. However, what I read was quite lovely!