I jumped on this when it popped up, I adored The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. Sandu writes cosy fantasy so well and this is just a warm hug of a book. The book covers serious themes such as mental health issues, covers neurodiversity with grace and care. The characters are well written and well developed. I loved the magical system in the story.
Batty Hole is a charming inn, I only wish it was real!

Sangu Mandanna writes the ultimate cozy fantasies! Just like The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches this story is cozy and heartwarming while also tackling mental health and healing in a really beautiful way.
I also loved the autism and neurodiversity representation in this and am so happy that this is a consistent theme in the author’s books. We need so much more of this!
All the characters are endearing and really grew on me during the story. I’d love nothing more than to find myself at the Batty Hole Inn one day!

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the Publisher for the chance to review the eARC!

This paranormal romcom really touched my heart. One of the main reasons is because I related so much to Luke, the MMC who takes care of his autistic sister Posy. I saw a lot of myself and my situation with my autistic brother in Luke and Posy's relationship, so seeing the story develop and be able to see Luke and Posy find their place to belong was really beautiful.

I absolutely breezed through this book today. I laughed out loud repeatedly and cried twice. Between the romance and the found family element, it was so cute and heartwarming, and just what I needed!

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley, but this is my voluntary and honest review.

This book is like the perfect hug. It is full of warmth, found family and let's us know that magic can be found in the every day.

I loved Sera as a main character, and the others who lived at the inn with her- the Inn itself was delightful and I'd love to visit if it was real!

This book is a hot chocolate on a cold winter's day, a balm for the soul and a reminder that we can do hard things and find the community around us.

I highly recommend this book to everyone, and many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Mandanna has done it again. I could not put this book down and finished it in a day. I loved the found family elements in this book, the zombie chicken was a delight. Everything about this book was cosy and whimsical and just pure brilliance! I cannot wait to reread this and I would 100% recommend this!

I was so excited to get a chance to read this ARC - I've been waiting 3 years! Another cosy, sweet and funny story from Mandanna. I loved Sera and Luke but also every other inhabitant of the inn.

Sangu Mandanna’s A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping delivers the perfect blend of cozy fantasy, heartwarming romance, and whimsical charm. Fans of her previous work, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, will appreciate the same enchanting, character-driven storytelling in this latest book. It’s a delightful read for those seeking a light, magical escape with a touch of humor and a focus on found family.

The story follows Sera Swan, a witch who lost her magical abilities after a rebellious act to resurrect her great-aunt, Jasmine. Now, years later, Sera runs a magical inn with her aunt, quietly trying to regain her powers. When a mysterious historian named Luke Larsen arrives, their interactions spark a slow-burn romance and a shared mission to unlock a magical spell that could restore Sera’s magic. While the romance is sweet, the heart of the story lies in the rich, quirky world Mandanna has built around the inn and its inhabitants.

One of the book’s biggest strengths is its delightful cast of characters. Sera’s eccentric aunt Jasmine, the fox-turned-witch Clemmie, the lovable Matilda, and other quirky guests add plenty of personality and charm to the story. The inn feels like a true home for these misfits, each with their own unique traits that make them unforgettable. The book also includes great representation, featuring diverse characters, including those with autism and disabilities, which adds depth and authenticity to the story.

The whimsical setting and the sense of found family really make the book stand out. The dynamic between Sera and Luke, though slow-burn, is engaging, and readers will enjoy the growing tension between them. There’s a lot of sweetness in how their relationship evolves from reluctant allies to something deeper. Luke’s grumpy-but-soft side is a charming counterpart to Sera’s more determined and kind-hearted nature.

That being said, the pacing can feel a bit uneven at times. The first half of the book moves more slowly, as Sera and Luke get to know each other and navigate the inn’s magical happenings. However, when the plot picks up in the second half, things feel a little rushed. Some key moments in the plot’s resolution could have been fleshed out more, but the message of reclaiming power and embracing your chosen family is still meaningful and heartfelt.

While the world-building and magical system could have been more detailed, the focus on character relationships and emotional growth makes up for it. The whimsical magic is fun, but the heart of the book lies in the connections Sera builds with the people around her.

In the end, A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is a charming and cozy read filled with humor, heart, and just the right amount of magic. It’s perfect for readers looking for a feel-good, uplifting story about love, second chances, and creating your own family. While a little more depth in the worldbuilding would have been nice, the warmth and charm of the story will likely keep readers enchanted from start to finish.

Thank you for gifting me an early copy of A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping

It tells the story of Sera who lost her magic after resurrecting a loved one-her great-aunt Jasmine. She now runs an inn with Jasmine and other companions.

As I loved The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, I was quite excited to read this one! However, I was a bit disappointed. The chapters felt a bit too long and whilst there were some moments that made me smile, the overall feeling I have is that it was fine.

I thought the beginning with the chicken was hilarious, but then I wasn’t as attached to the story as I was to the first book.

I enjoyed the ending though and thought it was fitting!

Cute, veeery cute. I love cozy fantasy, and read Sangu Mandanna's The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches just a couple of days ago.

It's hard not to compare this to The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, because while it's not a sequel, it's very similar in tone and plot. Also the main-characters and love-interests were very similar. This book hit alot of the same plot points as the last one, but I think it improved on them. The side-characters are way more fleshed out in this one, they're still pretty silly, but they're not as gimmicky and I really cared about them a lot more. Also, Roo-Roo, easily the best part about this book, I love him.

I also liked Sera and Luke a lot, they had a cute dynamic and while the romance was more of a subplot in this one, I actually felt it worked better that way. There's also a lot of representation in this book, especially around mental health and disabilities, autism and depression are depicted in a very kind and compassionate light.

Unfortunately I didn't love this author's previous book, rated it 3 stars, but I can say that she's improved quite a lot since then. A big problem I had with that book was the language, it felt a lot like a children's book in vocabulary and writing style, which felt weird in contrast to the (non-pg) romance plot in that book. In this one the writing style was still very cutesy and whimsical, but it seemed more adult to me, which I was very happy about.

Unfortunately I didn't like the ending that much. The pacing throughout was very nice, but I felt it ended very abrubtly and I personally didn't like the ending. It makes sense thematically in the story, but I just didn't like it.

Overall a very cute and cozy read, that was very nice throughout most of the story, but kind of flunked on the ending a bit. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a quick, cozy and cutesy read. I will definitely buy a physical copy when this comes out, because I feel like I'll want to read this more than once.

Huge Thankyou to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton publishing for providing me with an ARC for this book.

“𝑻𝒘𝒐 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔, 𝒂 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒙, 𝒂 𝒔𝒌𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒐𝒏 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒏, 𝒂 𝒉𝒐𝒃𝒃𝒊𝒕, 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒏, 𝒂 𝒌𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂 𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒃𝒂𝒓….”

This is the dream job I never knew I needed. A whimsical and charming tale of found family and self acceptance that really warms your bones, coupled with enchanting world-building and lighthearted banter.

I do however have one gripe with this book, in that the inn is called Batty Hole of all things, and I’m glad this is a cosy and fun little fantasy because I would not have been able to take this seriously if required.

Thank you endlessly to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.