This was the prequel that we all needed. A delicious telling of your favorite two aunt's lives, before they were your favorite two aunts.

Woo-woo here, woo-woo there. Here a witch, there a witch, everywhere a witch witch....

Sadly, I couldn't finish this one. I never should have requested it, knowing that magical realism isn't my thing. Reading it has been torture, so I'm stopping right now, less than a quarter of the way through. Life is too short for me to spend hours reading something I hate. Reading fiction must be fun or intriguing--otherwise, what's the point?

My fault. I let myself get seduced by reviews when I knew full well that witches would be a hard sell.

Other reasons I talked myself into reading it:

-I liked a couple of non-magic-y books by Hoffman, the most recent being Faithful.

-Occasionally (hardly EVER), magical realism works for me.

-Long long ago, I actually liked magical realism (I thought House of Spirits and Harry Potter were cool.)

-I thought perhaps I had dissociative personality disorder, in which case a palm reader by the name Debrina, who co-exists in my psyche, would love this book.

Mostly it comes down to this: I hoped I would get attached to the characters despite the fact that they were witches. Or maybe I could forget that they were witches? Didn't happen. Frankly, I didn't give a flying eff. Every single page was woo-woo. Every single page.

I believe all the gushers who say that this is a great book. I'm just the wrong audience. Remember, my 1 star means that I hated it, not that it's a bad book. I should have my head examined for trying.

As Judge Judy sometimes says: Dismissed without prejudice.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy.

I received a copy of "The Rules of Magic" from NetGalley for an honest review. I wish to thank NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Alice Hoffman for the opportunity to read this book.

All I can say is that 2017 has been the year of the REALLY good book! This is another 5 star book and I do not give that rating easily!!

I had such a hard time with this book because I knew that I was going to love it! I tried my best to ration it to make it last longer and I just could NOT do it!! I read half of the book in one day as I could NOT restrain myself!!

I thoroughly enjoyed "Practical Magic" for which "The Rules of Magic" is the prequel. However, you do NOT have to read "Practical Magic" first - they are both beautiful stand-alone books, but they do go SO well together.

Alice Hoffman has such a gorgeous way with words, descriptions, characters, and every little thing that makes a writer great. Her books do not disappoint EVER!!

I highly recommend "The Rules of Magic" - read it! Read it by a roaring fire with a cup of something hot or an adult beverage. But, have someone that you love nearby to make the experience of this book even MORE beautiful!! READ THIS BOOK! Thank you Alice Hoffman for even more of the Owens family!!

The Rules of Magic is said to be a sequel to Hoffman’s novel, Practical Magic, which I read quite a while ago. It really does not matter, as this novel stands on its own. Siblings Jet, Franny, and Vincent live in Manhattan with their parents, but when Franny turns 17 a summons comes from Aunt Isabelle in Massachusetts, inviting them to spend the summer. It is there they learn the magical history and curse of the Owens family. Each has a magical gift, which shapes their lives and that of those they love. A page turner with compelling characters and wonderful writing—highly recommended!

I received this as an ARC from netgalley.com.

At first I was unsure that I was even going to finish this book, but because it is Alice Hoffman and I generally love her books, I decided to stick with it and I'm glad I did. At first I had a difficult time connecting with the characters but once I got into the story further I was much more engaged.

As with most Alice Hoffman books there has to be a little suspension of disbelief of the magical part of the book but that is what seems to make it enchanting.

The story describes the lives of three siblings from the 1950's until present day (maybe?) and their loves and extended families. Its a heartwarming story with a lot of sadness but hope too.

_____________________________________________________________________
MY REVIEW OF "THE RULES OF MAGIC" by  ALICE HOFFMAN

 
 
Kudos to Alice Hoffman, author of"The Rules of Magic" for such a mesmerizing , and magical  reading journey.  I loved every moment reading this book, and didn't want to put it down. The genres for this novel are Fiction, General Fiction and Adult Fiction with a dash of fantasy a fantasy and magical essence.
 
  The timeline for this story is in the 1960's and in the past where being a witch could be a sentence for death. This  book is the prequel to  "Practical Magic" in this series, but it certainly is a stand alone. I would very much like to read the other book. It's like I am bewitched. I have to say, Alice Hoffman certainly can weave a tale.
 
The blurb about the book does state "For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1620, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man"......"The Rules of Magic" is the story of the power of love reminding us that the only remedy for being human is to be true to yourself. "
 
The author's descriptions of the characters are that they are complex and complicated due to their circumstances. In the Owen family, each individual seems to have some magical ability or power. The parents set rules up to protect the two sisters and brother from what they believe is the "Owen Curse" On the eldest daughter's 17th birthday, the children visit a quirky and colorful Aunt, who dabbles in herbs, potents, and a knowledge of  magic. It is at the aunt's house, the children are more aware of their powers. The parents have warned their children that to love is a curse, and brings problems.
 
I was captivated by this intriguing novel and would highly recommend this to readers who enjoy Alice Hoffman's books, magic, fiction, and the answer to what is love. I received a copy of this ARC for my honest review. I look forward to reading  "Practical Magic". Happy Reading!

I was a huge fan of Practical Magic….the movie. I did not know that the movie was based on a book. I was surprised when I saw The Rules of Magic on NetGalley and saw under the author’s name “author of Practical Magic“. What I liked even more that it is the prequel to Practical Magic. So, when I go to read that book, I will know the back story behind Franny, Jet, and Vincent.

The book follows 3 children as they grow up as unique individuals. Individuals who have no knowledge of their heritage. Their mother had deliberately kept it from them. She also imposed strange rules with the most important one being “no falling in love“. After a visit to their Aunt Isabelle, the children realize that they have powers that are unique. Franny has an affinity with birds. Jet can read minds. Vincent can charm anyone he meets into doing what he wants….among other things.

The Rules of Magic is women’s fiction with a huge lean on the paranormal and fantasy woven into it. I have read a lot of women’s fiction lately. I will say that it is growing on me. I don’t like it. I have read a few books that were poorly written and that turned me off this genre. But, if I keep getting gems like The Rules of Magic, then I will reconsider my stance on reading them.

Franny was my favorite out of the three Owens siblings. Which surprised me because she was very abrasive in the beginning of the book. While she didn’t deny her powers, she didn’t embrace them either. I felt bad for her also because she loved Haylin but she couldn’t admit it because of that darn curse. She had seen, first-hand, how the curse kills. So she and Haylin made a pact where they didn’t discuss love, hoping to beat the curse. And in a way, they did but it came at a horrible price.

I felt awful for Jet. She dealt with so much at such a young age. She fell in love with the Reverend’s son. She thought she could beat the curse and unfortunately, the curse gave her a double whammy. She lost her love and her parents that awful night. She was so traumatized that she lost her magical powers for a long while. With all that aside, she had to have been the sweetest characters that I have ever read. Everyone loved her….even people who were supposed to hate her.

Vincent was the one I didn’t like. Something about him rubbed me the wrong way. He didn’t give me the same likable vibe that Franny and Jet did. When he came out, all I could think is “how is he going to use this to his advantage“. What I didn’t get was how the girls could be affected by the curse and he wasn’t. I mean, he fell in love with his partner and there were no repercussions.

There was plenty of sex and romance in The Rules of Magic. But it wasn’t graphic. The wordage that the author used to describe the sexual situations was beautiful.

The end of the book was very sad. But, I could see the ending being the beginning of Practical Magic.

4 stars

My Summary of The Rules of Magic:

If you have read Practical Magic and wondered about what the aunts’ story was….then The Rules of Magic is the book for you. It has a great plotline and memorable characters.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Older Teen

Why: Sexual situations, mild language, and mild violence

I would like to thank Alice Hoffman, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for allowing me to read and review The Rules of Magic

All opinions stated in this review of The Rules of Magic are mine and I received no financial compensation for this review

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

*3.5 stars*

This is the prequel to Practical Magic, a novel about great-aunts Jet and Franny, and their youngest brother, Vincent.

I love Practical Magic. I love the book, and I love the movie, where the aunts are played by Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest. I was delighted to find out that this book was coming out, because I wanted to know everything about eccentric, brave Jet and Franny. I was even more delighted when I was approved for an ARC through Netgalley.

Here, we see how the siblings came to grow into their magic, and how burdened their lives were under the family curse. Their parents try to keep magic out of their lives, but one summer they're summoned to Aunt Isabelle's house (and the family homestead), and from there their lives truly begin.

This novel encompasses a lot: three robust main characters, a span of fifty-ish years, and a dramatic backdrop of the 1960's, culminating with the Vietnam War. And then there's love. So much love, and so many fears relating to love. A lot of the events that occur to the Owens are depressing, to be absolutely frank. I'm all for depressing (I know that sounds weird, but I like novels that make me cry), but here the depressing scenes weighed me down just a bit too much. I wanted more of the magic.

*Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for an ARC*

Oh my. We who wished for more of the Practical Magic story should be very happy with this prequel. All the characters are lovely. Plot line is wonderful. I could go on and on and on but i'm afraid of spoilers. Just know that if you love Alice Hoffman it's a must read. And if you don't read Alice Hoffman, guess what - it's also a must read.

I didn't finish the book. It wasn't a good fit for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have not read "Practical Magic" but I have seen the movie and I am well acquainted with Alice Hoffman's writing so getting a chance to review this book was quite the honor.

You don't need to be familiar with her other book "Practical Magic" as this is a prequel and if you're a fan of Hoffman's then this is a good fall read. The fact that the main characters are "witches" doesn't take away from the the fact that this book is ultimately a coming-of-age book. In fact, the "supernatural" aspect of the book gave the story an air of uniqueness instead of feeling gimmicky. As always, Hoffmans writing is impeccable. Her books always feel like a familiar friend to me and this book was no different. She provides the right balance of heartbreak and happy endings without the book feeling overwhelmingly sad or overly happy for the overall story.

If you're a fan of hers or just looking for a good book to become acquainted with her writing this book is a good option.

Practical Magic was the first Hoffman book I ever read and it's still my favorite, so I was really excited to get offered an ARC for the prequel. Rules of Magic is set in mostly in the 60s and 70s and involves the kids from two generations prior - Franny and Jet, their brother Vincent, and their distant cousin (Gillian and Sally's mother).

Since the family curse was still in effect for Practical Magic, I don't think it's too much of a spoiler to say it plays a huge role here and in consequence it's not the happiest of books. It's rather melancholy at times, but there's a great deal of hopefulness too.

This volume works very well as a stand-alone work, but if you have read the original, there's quite a few nods to it - repetitions of particular folk beliefs, phrases, etc.

I didn't like this quite as much as I remember liking Practical Magic but it is still excellent. I suppose it's possible I've just put the original up on so high a pedestal that nothing can live up to it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the chance to review the ARC.

This book is the prequel to Practical Magic. Since 1620 love is a curse for the Owens family. Hundreds of years later in the 1960s Susanna sets down rules for her kids. No red shoes, no wearing black,no cats, no books about magic, etc.
One day her kids visit their aunt in Massachusetts and discover horrible family secrets and they finally begin to understand why they are all different.
The books deals with them trying to not fall in love and to follow the rules, but realizing they have to do what is right for each of them..

Well worth the wait! Twenty-two years (nineteen if you count the movie!) after the release of Practical Magic, Alice Hoffman returns with a "prequel" to one of her most popular and beloved novels. The Rules of Magic is everything you'd expect from Alice Hoffman (if you've never read one of her books this is a great place to start-it is not necessary to have read Practical Magic-in some ways it's better if you haven't)-her writing is so fluid and full emotion it nearly takes your breath away. Spanning several decades beginning in the late 1950's, The Rules of Magic follows the lives of Franny, Jet and Vincent Owens, descendants of the infamous Maria Owens, who centuries earlier put a curse on all future generations of her family that prevented them from falling in love after being abandoned by the man she loved. Despite the curse, love circles around Jet and Franny like a bee trying to find the perfect flower to pollinate, while Vincent is only interested in charming the pants off every woman he meets. The children had always felt there was something different about them (nobody else seemed able to summon birds with just a flick of a wrist or turn lights on and off at will), but they learn the truth about their heritage and the curse after spending a summer with their Aunt Isabelle in the same Massachusetts town where Maria lived. At turns heartbreaking and uplifting, The Rules of Magic is a testament to the ultimate power of love, especially in the face of overwhelming odds. Beautiful and beguiling, The Rules of Magic is not to be missed-let's hope there's a movie!

I rarely cry at the end of a book, there just aren't' that many that touch my heart, but "The Rules of Magic" is that rare book that can take your breath away with the beauty of the writing. Descriptions are so gorgeous, I feel like the wind is blowing through my hair, or I'm sitting in Central Park. The characters shine, as you would expect from Alice Hoffman. I will become an evangelist for this book, my library will surely be ordering many copies for our patrons!

I had no idea how much I was going to love this book. The Rules of Magic is the precursor to Practical Magic and centers my two favorite characters- the zany aunts! I probably had this book on too high of a pedestal to begin with, but it didn't really disappoint me. It gets five starts for my nostalgia, although, looking at it with totally unbiased eyes, it probably deserves close to a 4. I would definitely recommend picking this up if you loved Practical Magic. You don't necessarily have to have read Practical Magic to enjoy this book, and I really liked that. There isn't a learning curve and no real punishment for not having read the first book. Enjoy!

This is a prequel to Practical Magic but it is not imperative that you have read Practical Magic.
This book immediately pulled me in. I couldn't put it down!.
If you love magical realism...if you love Alice Hoffman's writing...even if you have only watched the movie...you MUST give this a try. It's such a beautiful story of love, devotion and the strength of family ties.

Alice Hoffman is a brilliant writer. From the first paragraph, she reels the reader in. I have read most of her books over the years and while some are clearly unforgettable, even her lesser ones are brilliantly written. She has such a way with words and magical realism. This is a prequel to the very magical and lovely Practical Magic. I recommend this to any fan of good writing and a good story.

The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman, offers readers the incredible opportunity to return to the beloved world of Practical Magic. This exciting sequel returns to the Owen's family history with greater detail, and through this new tale, we learn more about "The Aunts"; Franny and Jet.

I really enjoyed Rules of Magic. For me, this world -with it's strong, independent, reality bending women - has been a source of comfort. The struggles that they face, despite their supernatural nature, are still rooted in reality. The Owen's women confront discrimination, grief, loss, and self doubt (to name a few), but always deal with these issues best when they embrace their natures, and accept their oddities. I think this is an invaluable and timeless lesson, that many women can relate to.

Also, I loved getting to know the Aunts (and subsequently their Aunt Isabelle). In Practical Magic, they are portrayed as somewhat all knowing and infinitely wise. By reading The Rules of Magic, I was surprised to learn how they became that way. This evolution incorporates many references to the original novel that I found myself reminiscing about.

I strongly recommend this read, this series, and this author. Alice Hoffman is incredibly adept at blending fantastical elements with realism, and I've always found something to love in her work. This series is an incredible example of strong, power female characters. Even more importantly their meaning is not rooted in romantic love, but in family bonds, and most often in sisterhood.

If you haven't read the novel Practical Magic, but have seen the movie, you could (maybe) read the Rules of Magic and understand some (few) of the references to Sally and Gillian's story. However, I think this book is most enjoyable when read after Practical Magic. There are many references (the black soap, Regina, the cats etc) to Practical Magic that enhanced The Rules of Magic for me; if you've only seen the movie, these references are likely to be lost.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

I have read many of Alice Hoffman's books with the most recent being Faithful. For some reason, however, I had never read Practical Magic; The Rules of Magic is its prequel. And, once again, Hoffman delivers an exquisite read. I didn't feel that knowledge of Practical Magic was necessary - in fact, I wonder if it would be a hindrance.

In this wonderful book, three siblings - Franny, Jet, and Vincent - grow up knowing they are different from other children. Their mother instills in them the rules they must follow which they promptly break, either from stubbornness or circumstance. Readers follow Hoffman's characters through childhood into adolescence and finally adulthood. Many authors have difficulty in allowing their characters to grow and change with age but still remain true to their cores. Hoffman does this and more with the siblings, and manages to present each as unique as each has a different gift and a different source of pain/loss. Although maturity and loss and love obviously change them, these characters remain loyal and steadfast to each other and their destinies. Hoffman manages to present the essences of these characters early on yet readers will still feel their pains and joys as they mature. Their griefs are honest and messy while their loves are timeless.

As a school librarian, I frequently recommended Hoffman's books to teens. Their brevity appealed to some and the individualism of her characters, both female and male, appealed to all. The Rules of Magic is wonderful.