I enjoyed the story, but it could have used a little bit more editing and tightening up of the plot. There were a few things that seemed undealt with, including the the mother/daughter relationship. I liked the world building, but the romance seemed to take a backseat to the towns problems, and while that makes sense, it doesn't help develop those lovey vibes a romance needs. Overall, an entertaining story. *I received an ARC from NetGalley and this is my voluntary and honest review.

Impractical Magic by Emily Gilmore was a cozy hallmark style good witch book.
Although I rated this book 2.5 stars it wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good? The writing was mediocre at best and felt VERY clunky / choppy. It’s like the author had a lot of ideas but couldn’t make of their mind on how to flow through the novel. This problem isn’t necessarily all on the author as much as the editing team and could have done better overall.
Slow paced , cliche ( which makes it “ cozy” ) but not for me I guess.

I picked up Impractical Magic hoping for a whimsical escape, but it fell a bit flat for me. The premise of Scarlett Melrose returning to Oak Haven to help her estranged sisters and fix the magic at their mother’s inn was intriguing. However, Scarlett herself came off as a bit whiny, which made it hard for me to connect with her journey.

While the setting had a charming small-town vibe and the stakes were high with magic going awry, I found myself wishing Scarlett would embrace the chaos instead of constantly wanting to flee back to her San Francisco flat. The reintroduction of her old flame, Nate, added some tension, but I felt their chemistry could have been developed more fully.

I appreciated the concept and the potential for a great story, but Scarlett’s reluctance made the read feel more frustrating than fun. It’s a 3-star for me—there were moments I enjoyed, but ultimately, I wanted a bit more from both the characters and the plot.

If you’re looking for a light read with a hint of magic, this might be worth checking out, but don’t expect an all-out magical romp!

This book had all the right ingredients, romance, cozy town, witch sisters and while I did enjoy scarlett and the inn, the relationship between Scarlett and Nate kinda fizzled out for me quickly and Nate was just so one dimensional.

A perfect fall read with witchy vibes and small town feel with sisterly love tied in. The sisters lean on each other in time of turmoil and when Scarlett receives a call from her sister she knows she must rush back home to help out her family.

2.5/5⭐️

I really wanted to love this one and so I'm disappointed to say that I didn't. I requested this book because I really loved the cover and the premise of Practical Magic meeting Gilmore Girls and all of those nice, cosy, autumnal vibes. Quite soon after starting the book however, I found I wasn't as keen to pick up the book as I initially expected to be.

The story follows Scarlett Melrose who is a witch, born and bred. However, Scarlett has been away from home for a long time after an incident she feels responsible for. After no contact with her family for years, she is summoned home by her sisters as their magical town is crumbling around them.

I did really enjoy the initial worldbuilding, it was lovely and descriptive and I found I could create a clear image of Oak Havens in my mind, and it was charming! But it was from this point on that I found the story fell flat for me. I didn’t find myself particularly connected to any of the characters apart from Scarlett and her sisters, although I would’ve liked to see more from their relationship. The part I was particularly disinterested in was that of Scarlett and Nate’s relationship. I could immediately tell what was going to happen from the get go and I didn’t find that their banter made up for it either. Also it was mentioned multiple times that most characters were in their late twenties yet (Scarlett particularly) thought, spoke and acted like a whiny teenager most of the time. Already being disengaged with the story, I also really didn’t enjoy the ending.

All in all, this story was not for me in the way I had hoped it would be. Although I didn’t love this story, I have no doubts that others probably will and I hope that they do!

I really struggled to engage within this book.
The pace was very slow despite there being a lot of talking, not much was happening. Sadly wasn’t for me.

Okay… is this book just the plot of Gilmore girls with some added practical magic charm? Yes it is. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily…

I enjoyed this book. I think it was the right pace and level of stakes for me at the right time. That being said, it wasn’t blow my socks off amazing…

I enjoyed the love story, the characters and the charm of it all… but sometimes I think the story fell a bit flat. Because it was pulling so much from well known stories, I think it became a bit predictable and lost some momentum you need in romances.

I also didn’t really like the ending… or maybe I didn’t like the beginning? The tonal difference between the first 90% and the last 10% was quite stark to me.

That being said, the worldbuilding was fun and I liked the lightness of it. There were some bits that made me giggle and as a Gilmore girls/practical magic lover I did like being able to do that Leonardo Dicaprio pointing at the screen thing whenever I got a reference.

Overall a light and fun read that I just needed a little bit more from…

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was… alright. It’s cutesy and has the potential to be awesome but it has wonky timing and it seems cut up and put together. The premise is adorable. It’s a cute little town with magic that has turned to chaos and the girl ran away was called home to help. So much potential. I felt like I needed more and I also somehow needed less? It was a cute fall read but I’m not sure I’d read it again. And remember, just because it wasn’t my cup of tea, it totally might be yours!

Thank you to @netgalley for this ARC 🫶

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I have only recently got into cosy magic themed books in the past year so I was excited to give this a go.

It had all the elements of a cosy autumn read, magic, romance and a quest to save the town! If you love small town romances and strong female characters this was a great book. Plus if you’re fans of Erin Sterling you will especially like it

A solid small town paranormal debut about estranged sisters, second chances, forgiveness and magical curses that has Scarlet Melrose returning home to Oak Haven where her mother's inn has been curses and her sister's need her help. As the middle child, Scarlet always felt like the screw up especially when she believes herself to have been responsible for their father's death. Returning home drudges up all those feelings and also forces her to confront her first love, Nate. Full of Gilmore girls meets Charmed vibes and a dose of Practical magic, this was good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Lana Harper, Hazel Beck and Erin Sterling. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. I hope we get more stories in this world featuring the other two Melrose sisters! Makes for a great spooky season cozy romance read!

2.75 rounded up to 3 stars.

An autumnal read that’s starts wonderfully, which is true for the setting of the book, as well. I thought the complicated family dynamic of the sisters and mother was a high point of this book, second to the charming town. Another sweet spot was the cute love story of Scarlett and Nate, long time friends and more than friends.


However, the story was uninteresting and didn't compel me. Beyond the characters and setting, nothing really propelled this story ahead for me.

Advance reader copy provided by Avon and NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

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.

This book was just ok. I loved the premise- fall vibes in a witchy New England town. It delivered on that but lacked in other areas. Scarlett, the main female character, had serious growth problems. She just could not get over herself and was a bit mean to her family and love interest. Her mom was mean and then in the end did a total 180. I guess I just wanted a little more from this book.

Thank you to Avon Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

3 stars

I really wanted to love this - autumn vibes, witches, returning home to save the inn/town from a terrible curse - this had the potential to be such a great fall read. While the story started off quite strongly, it took a really weird and (IMO) unnecessary turn. I did enjoy the family dynamic, and the romance aspect of the story.

Impractical Magic is out now.

Cute fall book. Set in a magical town full of witches so it had all the feels for this time of year. I didn’t like all the foul language the main character uses. I don’t mind foul language in general, but it seemed to come out of nowhere for the character and didn’t fit her personality, especially when she uses it at her mother.

I thoroughly enjoyed this friends-to-lovers story. Scarlett and Nate are caught in a captivating “will they or won’t they” dynamic that keeps you hooked. Nate has serious book-boyfriend vibes, and you’ll find yourself rooting for him throughout. The magical mishaps along the way add a fun and enchanting twist to the narrative. I also appreciated how the story beautifully highlights the idea that, no matter how long you’ve been away, family always has your back.

This was a cute fall read that was reminiscent of Practical Magic and a hint of Gilmore Girls. I enjoyed the storyline and the cozy small town vibes but didn’t connect with the characters as much as I would have liked. Overall a fun read!

Unfortunately the writing wasn't for me. The premise of the story really intrigued me, I just believe the execution of said story was unable to hook me. I know this was marked as Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic, and it had a lot of the Gilmore girls style banter. Unfortunately, the banter didn't hit on page, and was quite confusing to follow. I think this is what took me out of the book too much to be able to enjoy the story for what it was.

This was a super cute & cozy read.

The FMC was a tad bit annoying and I do feel somewhere in the middle the tone of the book some what changed. It wasn't that it was hard to stay in, it was a really easy read, but it felt sort of disconnected part way and finished in a different direction.

I enjoyed the references, and the premise, and the overall feel of the book - I just feel there were opportunities where it could've been better.