I think I screamed out loud this summer when I saw a review for this book and knew I had to read it (and have been sitting on the ARC for months, waiting for the perfect cool fall day to read it). I think my own review might be biased so I can't say if you will like this if you haven't read Practical Magic or aren't already excited about this book. But if you read Practical Magic and your biggest complaints were that the aunts Franny and Jet weren't in it enough or that there wasn't enough magic....then this book everything you would want.

Rules of Magic follows the aunts Franny and Jet from Practical Magic as they are coming of age in 1960's New York. If you know anything about Practical Magic (and thusly know what happens to the aunts) pretty much everything that happens in this book is super predictable. However, Hoffman, as always, writes really beautiful historical fiction and this is just that. I felt really lucky to get to spend more time with these beloved characters so I am completely satisfied.

This was my #1 book I wanted to grab at Book Expo. I was so excited to read it, but was also nervous. I find Alice Hoffman's works to be hit or miss with me. I either love them (The Dovekeepers, The Marriage of Opposites, The Museum of Extraordinary Things) or I'm let down (Faithful). Plus, while I've watched Practical Magic eleventy thousand times, I've never read it! This prequel to Practical Magic was like ordering a meal off a menu that sounds so scrumptious you moan at the description and then when you actually taste it you are transported to another world. The Rules of Magic was utter perfection. It was everything I wanted and more. A total 5 star read for me.

While I tend to stay away from 'magical' or paranormal or straight-up fantasy books, I'm glad that I trusted Hoffman and the description on this one.

Yes, there is magic, but it's really about learning to live through generations when you're a bit different and learning what's important in life, quality or quantity.

There's also a curse, but the characters find that it's a curse that we all live with and I'm not saying more about that

What I loved was the relationship between the three siblings. Their closeness and connection, to an only child, was something to behold. You get to know all three of these very different people and yet there is this connection they share that I believe, but will never feel. (insert sobs here for what might have been until I remember that I never had to share and still don't)

Witch siblings (Franny, Jet, and Vincent) must survive on their own after their parents are killed in a tragic accident.

Do you remember the movie released in 1998 called Practical Magic starring Nicole Kidman as Gillian and Sandra Bullock as Sally? Well, this is the brand new prequel about their great aunts, Franny/Frances and Jet/Bridget, when they were teenagers in the 1960s!

I was absolutely enchanted by this coming-of-age story, set in New York City and a small town in Massachusetts, about three witch siblings who are orphaned while in their teens. How will they make their way in a world where they are seen as odd misfits? And what about the love curse that was placed on their family by a disgruntled relative hundreds of years ago in 1620? Will the siblings ever find love, or will the family's curse strike again?

Now I can't wait to read Practical Magic, the next book in the series!

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

You can read the full review on my blog: http://avalinahsbooks.space/rules-of-magic-alice-hoffman/

You might have been able to tell from my headline that I really love Alice Hoffman’s writing. I started this year by reading Faithful and was insta-fanned right away (Yes, I just invented that word.) I also read Practical Magic in preparation for reading The Rules of Magic, and although I could feel it was written a while ago and wasn’t quite the same vibe, my love for Hoffman’s amazing prose only grew.

The topic matter? I believe we don’t have the need for me to sum it up here, do we? Most of you will have heard of the book and probably seen the movie. I love this story in either of its forms. Witches, jinxes, family history, mystery… It’s all so delicious. Just the kind of topics I like. In this book though, we follow the lives of the Owens’ family before the heroines of Practical Magic are born, and what’s interesting – this time it’s not only the girls! We have a male Owens to read about, and he’s a great character. If you’ve read the first book, you will be pleasantly surprised not only to learn more about the family history, the town’s history or their traditions, but to actually find out more about the story of Sally and Gillian – the girls from Practical Magic.

Those who know the struggle of the Owens’ family – to never find love, and if they do, to lose it the worst way imaginable, will not be surprised by the fact that this is the main theme here as well. However, it’s not a book of love stories. As many of Hoffman’s books, The Rules of Magic talks more about finding oneself, about forgiving oneself, about facing one’s demons and one’s true identity. Identity is questioned a lot, and I was surprised to find that it’s not only questioned traditionally. I don’t want to include spoilers, but let’s just say that this book is more diverse than I expected.

Another great thing about The Rules of Magic and the main reason why I liked it more than Practical Magic was that it didn’t have the ‘beauty wins love’ vibe that I didn’t like about the first book. In Rules of Magic, you deserve love whether you’re pretty or just plain. Everyone deserves love. And what’s more, they deserve the kind of love they want. And they must fight for their love, because only something worth fighting for is true, and it can’t come easy. There is also no insta-lovey fated love anymore – in this book, love is just what it is – the connection of souls, something more undying than everything else. I hope Hoffman doesn’t mind me judging her through her writing like that, and I do believe it’s probably not my place – but for what it’s worth, I would dare to say that I can sense the maturity in this book, the change in how she herself saw the world then and now. It’s amazing to see this change of the world she wanted to build for those characters and these ones. It’s like a living book.

Ultimately, Alice Hoffman ponders: is being fated to lose everyone you love the Owens’ curse, or is it just being human? What if it is just another inevitability of life, just as how it ends when your time comes and you lose your own self? Mix that with a few potions, a few sprigs of lavender, a few animal familiars, and you’ve got a recipe for a great book. So it’s not really big news that Alice Hoffman still writes magically, but I’ll say it anyway.

I thank Alice Hoffman and Simon & Schuster for giving me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Let me start by saying I have NOT read Practical Magic (but now I really want to) and wasn't really aware this was a prequeal until I got started.

The Rules of Magic introduces us to Franny, Jet and Vincent Owens. Franny is redhaired, fair and more quiet and thoughtful. Jet has jet black hair (thus the nickname), and Vincent - well he is the baby and everyone is attracted to and loves Vincent.

Their parents are very disengaged from them it seems, especially for this time period (early 1960-ish), but they do have odd rules. Never wear red shoes, don't be out in the moonlight, etc. Then there is the 'never fall in love' thing because horrible things can happen.

The spend a summer with their mom's aunt and we all learn that they are witches (or at least believed to be). The three siblings are close in age and all share special gifts, such as reading people’s thoughts and being unable to sink in water. They descend from a long line of Owens witches and are avoided by most people in the community.

We watch the siblings experience a horrible tragedy, and attempt to navigate into their adult lives, along the way discovering who they really are and how to be true to who they are.

It was a a great read for the month of October, and I will definitely be looking for Practical Magic to learn more about the Owens trio!

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Read this. Read it even if you aren't interested in stories about witches or like magical realism or if you haven't read Practical Magic. This is a wonderful story of family and love. Hoffman has captured the essence of the 1960s but more importantly she's created wonderful characters in Franny, Jet, and Vincent, all of whom cope with the family curse in different ways. There are so many things I could write about this, all of them positive, but it boils down to the fact that Hoffman is a terrific story teller. This is the book that will take you away from the troubles for the time that you're reading it. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to be an early reader of this and was richly rewarded.

I did not know until just prior to reading this book, that it was a prequel to Practical Magic. Upon finishing The Rules of Magic I don't feel one would have to read the other, it seems to be a stand alone story. That being said, I will read Practical Magic to see how things play out.

A story of 3 siblings, 2 sisters & a brother. They live with their parents who seem rather aloof to me, especially given that the story starts in or around 1960. The siblings have a lot of freedom, but there's also "rules"....no red shoes being one of them. As they each turn 17 they head to MA to stay with their mother's aunt & she grooms them in the art of being a witches.

Many tragedies along the way.

For almost the first 1/2 of the book I was not sure where this was all headed but then things started to fall into place & I actually enjoyed the 2nd 1/2 of the book much more than the 1st 1/2.

Not a scary book, a story of family & love & fear of love & tales, some true & others just myth, passed down for many generations which shaped the future for these siblings.

Thank you Netgalley for this book & the chance to give a fair & honest opinion.

This book is fearless and magical. I was swept away by the people and their lives. Swept away by the language and imagery of the story. We should all be as unlucky in love as the Owens family. It's an interesting thought that unless we die very young, we will all lose our loves to heartbreak or time. The trick is to "Love more, not love less."

I will admit to having a problem with Vincent's age at the beginning. I just felt so bad for his loss of childhood. I was so relieved when he finally found happiness.

I know that I read "Practical Magic" back in the day and I can't wait to read it again.

The Rules of Magic, like all of Alice Hoffman's books, is beautifully written. For fans of Practical Magic, this book is a must read. Franny, Jet and Vincent's early years and teenage loves, losses, trials and tribulations provide insights into the adults they become. How their escapades impact on the lives of their progeny is also hinted at. For an escape into the sometimes fabulous, sometimes sinister world of magic, potions, spells and familiars, The Rules of Magic is certainly recommended. Thanks to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC.

Finally a prequel to Practical Magic. In the 1960's, Susanna Owens knows that her three children are different and unique. One of her rules is to never fall in love. If you loved Practical MGic, you will love Alice Hoffman's new novel.

This somehow lacked the flow and magic of Practical Magic and while the story was okay, it just fell kind of flat for me

This story is the prequel to Alice Hoffman's best-selling story, Practical Magic, which focused on the lives of two sisters, Frannie and Jet, who are modern-day witches. It was turned into a movie with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, and I am bummed to say that I've never actually seen, something which I plan to rectify soon. This book takes us back to their childhood and we get to see how they handled dealing with what they were, their heritage and how to reconcile that with their lives. This was further complicated by a family curse that affects their love lives. I was quickly sucked into their world and was immediately drawn into the 1950s and 1960s right along with them. There were also several occasions that will bring tears to your eyes. I really enjoyed the story and now I need to read Practical Magic. I highly recommend this story.

I received a copy of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

4.5 stars. Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.

It's been many years (and many, many books) since I read Practical Magic, but I have continued to be a big fan of Alice Hoffman's work all along. And it really didn't matter at all that I can't remember the details of that book. This one can easily stand alone. I love books that seamlessly enmesh magic with reality, and this book does it so well. The characters are all so interesting, and the settings come alive, whether it's NYC, Paris or Aunt Isabelle's place in Massachusetts. I find Hoffman's writing very enjoyable to read. There is a fair amount of sadness in this book, but mostly love and hope. I may now need to re-read Practical Magic so I can continue the story and enj0y the characters again. Very much recommended, as long as you're ok with magical realism.

Practical Magic is one of my favorite books, so I jumped at the chance to read & review the prequel. I was not disappointed. It was every bit as good, if not better, than Practical Magic.
The Rules of Magic starts with the curse that has been hanging over the Owens family for centuries: all love is to be ended in tragedy. We get to meet the children of Susanna Owen and follow along as they fight the curse, try to outwit the curse, and lose the love of their life to the curse. This book is delightful and will keep you spellbound until the very end!

When a book encourages me to go back and read previous books in the series that I have never read, I think it has accomplished it’s mission. I enjoyed getting to know Franny, Jet, and Vincent and am curious to see how the rest of their lives play out. If you like coming of age novels with a bit of a twist, I would definitely recommend checking this book out.

I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars. There is no author that pulls you into the shadows of her characters like Alice Hoffman and still shows you their light just as well. This story is exquisite - even more so if you have read Practical Magic and see all the tie ins. Hoffman does a brilliant job filling in the story of Franny and Jet and how the love curse is one of the many threads that holds their family tree together. The book covers a lot of ground which really helps you to know and grow with the characters. You cannot go wrong picking up this book when it comes out.

I received an advanced copy of this novel from Simon & Schuster and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1620, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man.

Hundreds of years later, in New York City at the cusp of the sixties, when the whole world is about to change, Susanna Owens knows that her three children are dangerously unique. Difficult Franny, with skin as pale as milk and blood red hair, shy and beautiful Jet, who can read other people’s thoughts, and charismatic Vincent, who began looking for trouble on the day he could walk.

From the start Susanna sets down rules for her children: No walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats, no crows, no candles, no books about magic. And most importantly, never, ever, fall in love. But when her children visit their Aunt Isabelle, in the small Massachusetts town where the Owens family has been blamed for everything that has ever gone wrong, they uncover family secrets and begin to understand the truth of who they are. Back in New York City each begins a risky journey as they try to escape the family curse.

The Owens children cannot escape love even if they try, just as they cannot escape the pains of the human heart. The two beautiful sisters will grow up to be the revered, and sometimes feared, aunts in Practical Magic, while Vincent, their beloved brother, will leave an unexpected legacy. Thrilling and exquisite, real and fantastical, The Rules of Magic is a story about the power of love reminding us that the only remedy for being human is to be true to yourself.

My Thoughts: In the early part of The Rules of Magic, when Franny, Jet, and Vincent were children, I struggled to stay interested. I only connected with the story when the characters grew into adulthood. The magic, curses, and potions were the least interesting aspects for me. I did enjoy the setting and the era: Manhattan in the 1960s, with a short summer visit to Aunt Isabelle’s home in Boston. Massachusetts was a dreaded place, according to their parents, who clung to the old stories of witches being burned at the stake there.

The children, however, loved the relative freedom of Aunt Isabelle’s home. Her rules were simple: 1) Do as you will, but harm no one; 2) What you give will be returned to you threefold; 3) Fall in love whenever you can.

As we follow the adventures of the siblings, we learn a bit more about the ways they strive to avoid love…and how they each fail at it in some way or another. Tragic things do happen around love, but is it because they allowed love into their lives, or because they are human?

Would they find their own answers? Would they finally come to terms with the love issue? How does this prequel set things up for Practical Magic, the story that follows? 4 stars.
***My e-ARC came from the publisher via NetGalley.

Alarmingly quickly, you will be sucked into the world of the Owens, where magic is passed down from generation to generation, along with a fatal curse. Magic is an absolute truth in this world, despite the resistance of its inheritors. You will learn its rules, along with Vincent, Franny and Jet. They are uncompromising.

There is plenty of sadness in this book, enough to break your heart, but also enough happiness to heal and remind you what it means to live.

As always, Alice Hoffman writes beautifully in her new prequel to Practical Magic, but I finished my reading with mixed feelings. I didn't love it the way I'd expected, and I certainly couldn't hate it for being different than I'd imagined. In many ways, this simply wasn't as magical for me as Practical Magic, and I think maybe I was ruined for this story by that one because I love it so much. I would still recommend this book to people, but I might suggest it as more family saga than magical story.