No one who likes books can escape the fact that cosy fantasy is a definite thing at the moment. And why not? In tough times we all want to hunker down with the literary equivalent of a cinnamon bun and a fleecy blanket. What is less acknowledged is that a lot of cosy fantasy is just, well, dull. Long descriptions of making tea do not an interesting book make, even if the person making tea is an ogress or a warrior with supernatual strength. Luckily for the cosy fantasy genre there is also some fantastic writing, and with A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping Sangu Mandanna cements her place at the top. How? By not forgetting that a book needs great characterisation, real conflict- plot and emotional - oodles of sexual tension, a sense of community and real peril. And that's exactly what we get here.
Sera was the greatest witch of her generation until, while still a teenager, she performed a spell so big she lost most of her magic. Now, fifteen years later, she still yearns for all she lost. Unfortunately she was also exiled from the magic Guild, and no one is allowed to help her try to find a way to repair herself. Instead she runs an Inn still protected by a spell she cast many years before, a spell which means only people who really need sanctuary can find their way there. Cue a motley selection of permanant guests including a witch who turned herself into a fox and an aspiring knight. And then two more guests arrive, Luke, a Guild member who feels like an outsider and his small sister, both in more need of sanctuary than Luke knows - and he may just be the person to help Sera find out how she can get her magic back.
Funny, sweet, sexy and tense, this is the perfect book for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Highly recommended.

Such a heartwarming story of found family and second chances. I was hoping for another novel of chockablock with witchy cosiness, carefully created characters, laugh out loud moments, and a robust magic system. This book did not disappoint at all! I truly adored the galaxy imagery for Ser's magic as well!

Reading this book was basically the equivalent of munching on a warm sticky cinnamon bun fresh out the oven or drinking an excessively sweetened cup of tea after an exceptionally awful day.

Our relatably grumpy (yet incredibly accepting and sweet) Sera Swan was once one of the most powerful witches in Britain. However, after she resurrected her beloved aunt with the help of a belligerent talking fox, her powers all but fizzled out and she became an outcast of the magical community. Years later, she's still running her enchanted inn (whilst dealing with meddlesome yet lovable guests' shenanigans), but now has a second chance to restore her power thanks to her latest patron's ability to decipher ancient languages.

This enchantingly cosy fantasy has all the heartwarming feels of found family, a tooth achingly sweet romance, endless baskets of baked goods, a zombie chicken and a whimsical house that randomly blooms wildflowers and rains apple blossom tea on its guests. It's funny, imaginative and pretty gosh darn adorable.

I did love the overall message of self-acceptance (mental health is also discussed in a very sensitive and thoughtful way throughout, which I really appreciated and found very relatable), but the final act felt a little bittersweet in my opinion. Without giving too much away, I was left feeling a bit deflated and I appreciated that it fed into Sera's journey of healing and acceptance... it felt like a bit of a cliché.

5/5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the ARC of this book.

Honestly, I don’t have cohesive thoughts about this story other than I absolutely adored it.
All characters are lovingly fleshed out and handled with so much care, the prose is delightful and the plot more than engaging (although I was expecting for it to tie in with TVSSOIW, but I’m not upset that was not the case!).
Sangu is impeccable with the found family trope and she will forever be on my automatic buy author list (and this particular title has obviously been preordered for months).

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping follows Sera, a magical prodigy who loses her magic when she resurrects her great-aunt and is exiled from her Guild, as she navigates running a magical inn with interesting inhabitants. This book is a standalone.

The writing style throughout this book takes you on a magical and emotional journey getting to know the characters and the inn in which they find themselves inexplicably drawn to. Mandanna’s writing style is one to be admired and it’s one I will always love no matter what she writes.

The characters throughout the book are fantastic. They each have their own intricate lives which you gradually get to know throughout the book and you find yourself growing overly attached to them. They are incredibly detailed and I felt the same emotions as they did throughout the book - when they were happy, I was happy, when they were outraged, I was outraged and when they were sad, I was exceptionally sad. The best part about them though was their interactions and conversations with one another - you could tell all of these characters loved one another dearly and therefore you couldn’t help loving them in return.

The plot itself was soft and gentle yet persistent - much like the main character. Whilst there was a main goal for the characters throughout the book, it was nice to see that it did not take over the whole story and instead allowed the reader to learn a greater lesson.

The romance was to die for. I enjoyed the romance from Mandanna’s other book but this romance was even better than that (the other is also incredibly good). The slow burn of the character’s affections and attractions to one another was delectable and it made me very emotional - I cried happy tears. I cannot put into words how much I adored it.

Overall, this book would be a phenomenal read for those who like cosy stories with a hint of fantasy, magic and romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review.

This was just so cosy. A magical inn which is run by a powerful witch (who lost most of her magic 15 years ago resurrecting a family member), a historian love interest, an undead rooster, what more could you want.

This was really funny. The FMC was a sarcastic (and at times acerbic) 30 year old, and it was great. It was nice to read about a FMC that wasn’t 17/18, and the whole thing just felt more…not necessarily realistic (because it is a book about magic), but…grounded in reality? If that makes sense.

I was really impressed by how well the MMC autistic younger sister was portrayed - not just stereotypes, but accurate.

I will say - I was a bit disappointed that the entire book was about Sera trying to get her magic back…only for her to give it up one chapter from the end. It didn’t feel like it made that much sense to me? I understand why it happened, and that we spent a book reading about her trying to get her magic back only to immediately give it up to protect her friends and family…but I still wish it hadn’t. Maybe I’m just too much of a HEA girlie.

Overall a really enjoyable cosy fantasy, with well written romance and side characters!

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC

Sangu Mandanna is a gift, and this book is something really special. Sera Swan went from being the most powerful witch in an age to having only a tiny bit of magic after she resurrected her Auntie as a teenager. Broken and a little bit lost, Sera now runs an Inn that takes in the people who need it most.

This is a beautiful story of found family, and is achingly lovely. There are some moments that are joyful, and some that are bittersweet, but I adored every one of them and wish the book wasn't over!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

A book as sweet as her first! This is “found family” at its best. The inn itself feels like an extra character, and i pictured it just like the practical magic house. The romance for me could’ve been a little stronger, but this book had so many other lovely things going on that i don’t think it mattered much. I will say this is much more cozy fantasy than romance and i think sera and Luke almost gave more friend vibes!

3⭐️

This was cute! Easy read and great for a palette cleanser. I did enjoy this book and the cozy setting but think I prefer more action packed fantasies. In saying that I definitely want to pick up TSSOIW also by this author! I liked the characters and the writing and overall the vibes of this story

I loved this book so much!! I was scared going into this since I loved the first one so bad, but this one was equally as great. In this book we follow Sera after she lost her powers resurrecting her aunt. While running her inn alongside a quite diverse group she runs into Luke an historian who slowly starts accepting her help and helping the inn, much to his dismay (but we all know he’s lying;). Sera was a great MC, she was so caring and loving that you could not not root for her. Luke was a great MC as well. The crew was absolutely hilarious shout out to Nicholas and Matilda for being the absolutely best. Although the story and the plot twists were easy to figure out since this is cozy fantasy, I throughly enjoyed my time with this and felt quite comforted by it. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for a review.

Thank you to Netgalley for an early digital copy if this book.
I absolutely loved The very secret society of irregular witches so I was really excited about this book. I knew I would enjoy just by reading the plot.
It is a 4 star for me, only reason why it isn’t a 5 is because the ending made me feel a bit sad and conflicted?
But I still very much recommend it and I will be getting a physical copy for sure when it is released.

I’m so sad about how this book ended, because this was really shaping up to be a five-star read for me. But with the way it stands, and with what takes place in the conclusion of this otherwise lovely story, my opinion has changed massively.

That said, let me talk about all the positives I enjoyed, and that made me love a solid three-quarters of this book:

The premise was interesting. After Mandanna’s first novel in this series - where a witch finally found community after being barred from finding it for most of her life - it was refreshing to now learn about witches who work more closely with the Guild, an organization for high-ranking, powerful witches and scholars. Seeing how those witches in that section of the world operated was fascinating. I loved that the FMC, Sera, was a formerly supremely gifted witch, and that she lost her powers due to an insurrection spell that saved her great-aunt. That backstory was super compelling.

I also really enjoyed the cast of characters. They were wacky, lovable, layered, and so fun. I felt completely taken in as I was reading, and the magical inn felt like a character in itself - so detailed, so wonderful, so magical.

The found family vibes were through the roof, and the cozy fantasy was cozy fantasy-ing hard.

I also appreciated that the book acknowledged institutional racism, class issues, and general bigotry. Not in a heavy-handed way, but matter-of-factly. I related to that in a lot of ways.

The romance with Luke, a scholarly wizard from Sera’s past, was cute, too, though I’d say it wasn’t particularly notable. I kind of wish it had been more developed, because it just felt a little… hollow? Not bad, just not super interesting. It didn’t add a ton, overall.

Now, onto the parts that sort of spoiled the read for me: some stuff felt a bit corny, and the ending really annoyed me.

Re: the corniness. Maybe I’m a miserly, jaded individual, but some of the metaphors (especially the phoenix ones) felt overused and cliché. They didn’t resonate with me. They had that ‘live, laugh, love’ energy - something you’d see written on a cheesy mug. I understood and appreciated what the author was trying to convey about Sera overcoming her trauma and reclaiming herself, but calling herself a phoenix multiple times just felt… meh. Like, okay. It was an overused metaphor that didn’t really help underline the story beat in a meaningful way.

Now, the ending.

There’s a specific trope used in the final chapters that I personally really dislike - especially in a story centered around magic. While I understand the message the author was trying to convey about love, home, and healing beyond what the heroine thought she needed, it just didn’t work for me. I came into this book for a witchy, empowering journey, and the resolution felt like it undercut a lot of what I loved about the main character’s arc. It left me feeling disappointed rather than satisfied

Maybe I’m not mature enough to fully appreciate what was surely meant as a beautiful, real message about life, priorities, and family - but I’ll stand by the fact that I thoroughly disliked the ending and that it marred what was a great reading experience otherwise.




Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

For about 75% of the book I was a bit conflicted about how to rate it. It's is super cozy and I liked most of the characters, the writing was funny and engaging. The only problem I had was I couldn't really connect with the romance. Generally, I think this is a bit of a general issue with cozy books that rely very heavily on a lot of snark and genuinely funny banter. It's just difficult to really connect with the characters and be invested in the romance, because the humor acts as a bit of a barrier. So, mostly I was thinking that the book itself was good, just maybe not exactly for me. But then the last 25% hit.
Without spoiling the ending, I have to say it absolutely sucked. It completely soured the entire book for me. It felt like I went through the whole journey for nothing and invested in the story just to be let down. It didn't even particularly make sense to me. I didn't think much about the world building before the ending, but because of it, the magical system of the book completely fell apart for me. Just absolutely disappointing and honestly, I was so mad about everything. Because of how much I hated the ending, I don't even really wanna get into the characters. It just feels pointless. I will say though that Clemmie (the witch trapped as a fox) is the absolute worst. In the beginning I thought she'd be a bit of a counterbalance to all loveliness of the other characters by being a bit more selfish and snarky. Then she started annoying me a bit, then I started realizing she genuinely was selfish in big ways. And then she turned into an all out villain. Straight up a bad person. Sure, she does something nice at the end, but like.... Too little too late. Her ending put me over the edge. Just so so disappointing how the entire story turned out, there was so much potential.

I received an advanced copy of this book and voluntarily read and reviewed it. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for sending me this ebook. All thoughts are my own.

This was truly a whimsical dream. So beautifully silly and heartfelt. I’m at a bit of a loss as to how to explain just how much I loved this book. There’s such an emphasis on just how magical life and love is. It’s so hopeful that I felt a bit teary, actually.

”Why do you find it so easy to be kind to me and so difficult to be kind to yourself?” Sera is a deeply wonderful and honestly relatable main character. For all her struggles, she remains so loving and kind to those around her. But she’s still headstrong – she’s not an entirely soft/gentle character, which makes her complex and real. I just love her!!! I could have read thousands of pages about her and her life. The romance is not necessarily the focus, but was very sweet. Luke was great as a love interest (not joking, more books need to be about magical handsome historians), and he was brilliant as his own person with problems and history.

The found family in this book was actually perfect. All of the characters added so much, and I loved them dearly. Everyone at the inn was met with such acceptance. It is so heartwarming to read about people who are known and loved as they truly are. Not only this, but this book has such beautifully effective nods to topics such as depression, absent parents, racism, disability, and ablism. It is such a breath of fresh air to have these things so effortlessly featured in a silly and fun witchy book.

"Fifteen years in the company of ghosts and great aunts, foxes and farmers, hobbits and knights and children bursting with light” <3

This was adorable, emotional, sweet, tender and funny. I’m in love with every single character in this book, but particularly the Inn!
There is love in all it’s shapes in this book: familial bonds created between strangers, love blooming at any age, friendship that stands the test of time, and the love of magic.
The ending felt quite bittersweet to me, and I’m still figuring out whether I’m happy with it or not!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hodderscape for the ARC!

This was an incredibly beautiful, whimsical and heartwarming story with a diverse and unique band of characters. I absolutely loved them, they were the heart of this story.

Sera, a young and powerful witch loses most of her power when she resurrectes her great-aunt, the only family she cares about, from the dead. Exiled and with little power she spends the next fifteen years running her inn. A magical inn who's always there for those who need it. Some of the people who found it, never left it.
But now, there is a chance for her to restore her power, a spell in a language she doesn't know.
Enter Luke, with his adorable sister, a magical historian. He's there to help, albeit reluctantly at first. They, along with the rest of the inn family, will embark on a mission to figure out and find everything she needs for the spell.

The found family aspect of this book is what captured my heart. While the romance blossoming between Sera and Luke was a delightful addition, one I liked very much, it was all the occupants of the inn that were the center of this story. Each of them unique in their own special way, trying to be the truest version of themselves. I really loved the representation. And of course, let's not forget Roo-Roo, he might be my favourite.

The story was so beautifully written, I absolutely loved the setting. I laughed, I cried, I fell in love.

The only thing I didn't like is that one moment at the end. I won't spoil it, but it will never sit right with me when authors do that. I understand the story sometimes warrants it, but I don't have to like it.

This was was my first book from this author, but let me tell you, it will not be my last. Can't recommend it enough!!

An adorably cozy book set around a magical inn, with lovable characters, found family and an undead rooster, what more could you want!

4.5⭐ rounded to 5⭐

Sera Swan, who is a witch has a second chance to get her magical powers and her life back on track...

I really loved the characters - they all had such distinctive personalities and I loved learning more about them, whilst seeing them further develop throughout the story. Even the secondary characters added to the story and were memorable. I loved seeing the disability representation in this book, with Jasmine having a club foot and Posy is autistic. I liked seeing the romance blossom - it felt like it made sense, didn't feel rushed as it was quite slow burn, as well as opposites attract which I ate up. It definitely wasn't the main theme but it worked quite well running alongside the main plot and the most beautiful found family vibes.

I loved learning more about this gorgeous, whimsical world that was an absolute delight to imagine, paired with the most stunning imagery. Sangu is a master of being able to craft the most gorgeous worlds with the most amazing characters that are filled with my favourite trope of all time, found family, that you grow so fondly of and care so deeply for.

The only thing that stopped this book from being a 5⭐ was the last 15%. It felt like a rush to get to the end, which was such a shame. Way too much was happening with not enough time to let the information shared have the impact/moment that it needed, in order for it to have breathing room as it felt like each reveal blended into one. The rest of the story had created such an incredible build up to the end so it was a shame that it didn't deliver in the way I was expecting.

Thank you Hodderscape and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early, in exchange for an honest review.

⚠️ CWs: death, abandonment, cursing, alcohol use, ableism, animal death; mentions domestic abuse, racism, sexual content, fire, animal cruelty, injury detail ⚠️

Heartwarming and cosy fantasy with found family, a magical inn, and a talking fox.

You had me at talking fox. The strangest of families brought together by need and a magical inn—this is cosy fantasy with a slow-burn romance. Personal journeys aplenty, as each character grows throughout the book, not just the FMC.

I really enjoyed this and raced through it in a day. It was well-paced, funny, and still had its tearjerker moments. I did, however, find the sex scene a little jarring. The story would have been just fine without it. It felt like the author was perhaps a little embarrassed to write it—it lacked realness and turned into an awkward conversation about condoms. That was the only thing that stood out as being out of place.

If you love cosy witchiness, found family, and talking animals with a slightly criminal past, you’ll love this book.

this was the definition of a warm hug!! I absolutely loved getting lost in the pages of this book and feeling at home at Sera's whimsical inn.

the characters were so endearing, the world so magical, and the plot so well thought out that it made for a perfect cozy fantasy. I did wish for the ending to go in a slightly different direction, but the positive and uplifting message it provided was a nice touch.

I highly recommend picking this up when it comes out!!