A magical read. This prelude to 'Practical Magic' allows Hoffman to develop the characters' formative years. This is an energetic narrative of teenagers trying to make sense of a world where their particular talents are feared and reviled.

This is my fourth Hoffman title read, and what is apparent with her writing is that she is a magnificent storyteller. Her books have a comfortable flow to them, even when they are dealing with tragic circumstances as in At Risk. She fleshes out her characters in a way that makes the reader feel like they have known them for years. They are stories that make me a little sad when I sit down to read and I realize I have finished the previous Hoffman title I was reading. I always want more.

This book is the prequel to Practical Magic, and it was dark and brooding and, well... magical. As usual with Hoffnan's novels there are sociopolitical undertones and psychological elements, but they move within the storyline like shadows, gently giving the reader insight without taking over the narrative. If you want be caught up in a story and carried away by the words, this book is what you are looking for.

Before Gillian and Sally there was Franny, Jet and Vincent. Those are the souls we need be concerned with in The Rules of Magic. The mantra for the Owens children is: no walking in the moonlight; no red shoes; never wear black; do no harm and never fall in love. Easy words that become difficult if not impossible tasks to accomplish. All they want is love, to be loved and to be able to love. The price to be paid is extreme and devastating.

Written with the greatest perception of growing up different in the difficult era of the late 1950s when conformity ruled, the Owens children are beautiful, moody, bright, talented, oddly buoyant and outsiders. Simply put they are not like anyone else. Franny’s seventeenth birthday brings an invitation to visit Aunt Isabelle on Magnolia Street in Massachusetts. The game is now afoot, magic is in the air and the story becomes a tale of Courage or Caution through the decades traveling from New York, to Massachusetts, to France and California.

I finished this book several days ago and have been thinking about why I am having the greatest difficulty trying to express my enjoyment and appreciation of Ms. Hoffman’s considerable talents. She has mastered the artistry of words. Her ability to grasp an emotion and wring it for everything it is worth is extraordinary. And the tale continues and it makes sense and you want more. There was so many memorable sentences to tuck away for future reference. “What is meant to be is bound to happen, whether or not you approve.”

It has been over a decade since I have read Practical Magic but I am headed to the library to check out a copy to reread and continue the journey of the Owens family.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC.

I had a hard time deciding between and 3.5 and a 4 so I rounded up to a 4.

The Rules Of Magic is a prequel to Practical Magic. I am most likely the rare reviewer who has not read practical magic (but I did see the movie). Since I have not read Practical Magic, The Rules of Magic worked very well as a stand alone novel for me.

The Owens family are a long line of witches. Their origins date back to 1620 when a descendant was charged for being a witch when she fell in love with the wrong man. One fateful summer, Susanna Owens has decided to send her three children to live with their Aunt Isabelle in Massachusetts. An Aunt they have never met but are excited to go and visit. Susanna and her husband have strict rules for their precocious children in their home: no red shoes, no black clothing, no books on magic, no cats, no crows, etc. Their children are all very different yet have one thing in common: magic. From the day he was born, Vincent has been a charmer. A hospital nurse tried to kidnap him shortly after his birth, Fanny who is fair with dark red hair, and Jett, who is shy and can read people's thoughts.

When they arrive at their Aunt Isabelle's home they learn that the rules no longer apply to them. They are permitted to be themselves. They wear what they want and do as they please. They learn some family secrets and to embrace their charms. At the same time they learn that there is a family curse. When they return to live with their parents, they each in their own way attempt to rid themselves of the curse only to learn that doing so is not that easy.

They find love, they turn their back on love, they get into interesting situations. They also experience loss, sadness, death and heartbreak. They travel, they experience life but they also experience family ties, devotion, closeness, and a world of magic. Plus, the reader gets to learn more about Maria Owens, the witch who long ago was charged with being a witch and more about the family curse.

Hoffman creates quirky characters which are both complex and compelling. The magic of her book is in their relationships and their family ties.

As I mentioned, I have not read Practical Magic but I intend to do so in the near future.

I received a copy of this book from Simon & Schuster and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Read 100 pages and it's not for me. I adored The Marriage of Opposites, but this skewed more YA, which I wasn't expecting.

The Rules of Magic is the prequel to Practical Magic, though it's equally good as a standalone book. Alice Hoffman is one of my favourite female writer's. I have read every book she has written and I'm never disappointed. She writes so beautifully, it's a pleasure to read her work. The Rules of Magic is another gem of a book. It's full of magic and love. I highly recommend it.

Thank you Netgalley for my copy.

This book will be a hit regardless of if the reader has read Practical Magic. I completely enjoyed this prequel, it gives a deeper understanding of the characters and why they were cautioned about falling in love. This story has bits of history and as always a heap of magic. The book was a delight to read and I that they publishers and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Wonderfully told story! This is a prequel to Practical Magic, set in the 60s and 70s mostly. Growing up at the time, I really related to parts of the story.
This is Alice Hoffman at her best. Now I want to reread Practical Magic!

I received this book from the publisher as an Advanced Reader Copy. it is the prequel to Practical Magic, which I loved. I liked this book very much, although it seemed overly long in a few places. I highly recommend it.

This is such a great read. I had tears in my eyes as I finished it. I love Alice Hoffman's books and this is one of her best. I'm always a bit leery of sequels or prequels, but this is even better than Practical Magic! The story of the aunts from Practical Magic, Franny and Jet, and their brother Vincent. Their mother has a list of rules they must obey, such as never wear red shoes, no walking in the moonlight, no wearing black. An dof course the Owens children break those rules, including (despite their efforts) never fall in love. The story progresses so thoughtfully, with characters that are allowed to develop and grow in a way that feels organic to the story. I honestly couldn't put it down. This is definitely going to be a favorite for Hoffman's fans and will win her new ones. Although it's a prequel, it stands on its own - even if I hadn't read Practical Magic I would have enjoyed it. Hoffman has a true gift for mixing fantastical elements into the "real" world, creating something that feels entirely original.

This is the prequel to Alice Hoffman’s novel Practical Magic, which was made into a very popular movie in 1998. As one who had no knowledge of either the novel or the movie prior to reading this book, however, I can attest that The Rules of Magic is a stand-alone story that needs no previous awareness of the Owens family or their house on Magnolia Street in order to be enjoyed.

In true Alice Hoffman style, the characters are engaging individuals who draw you into their unique world, quickly involve you in their lives, and make you want to know that they’re going to be okay. While one can tire of the tales of young people discovering their magical abilities, the Owens girls have always known they were different; witchcraft has been in their bloodline for centuries. They are used to being shunned by neighbors, whispered about in school, and finding themselves so buoyant while swimming that they can’t dive deep to save a loved one in danger of drowning. They do their best to hide their special abilities, whether it’s seeing the future, reading minds, or communing with birds, while trying to fit in with townspeople who simultaneously fear them and seek them out for magical remedies to their problems. They also must face the centuries-old curse that says loving someone means losing that person, sometimes tragically. Dare they love someone if it portends the beloved’s doom?

As a prequel to Practical Magic, this story begins in the 1960s, when sisters Jet and Franny are children living in New York City with their parents and younger brother, Vincent. Vincent — a rare wizard in a long line of witches — has his own approach to dealing with the curse, and the example he sets inspires his sisters to find their own courage. That’s not to say that all will go well, but what is living really about and when is fate just fate and no one’s fault?

Whether or not you knew of Jet and Franny before, The Rules of Magic will make them people you care about as they navigate their way through the complexities of life as Owens girls and as human beings.

Love is not easy. It’s not always sunshine and rainbows. It comes down to very different people relating to one another. Like a conjoined twin, I think fear is a close companion to love. When we are young, we fear that you will never find the right person to love. When we find them, we fear that the other person will not love you back. When we have love, we always fear that this person who has become so vital to your world could be lost. The Rules of Magic is about love. Love between siblings, parents, children, lovers and friends. It is about letting your love flow freely, not bottling it up with fear, guilt, doubt or anger.

I loved this book. I was offered the ARC by the publisher through Netgalley. I vaguely remembered hearing about the first book in the series, Practical Magic, when the movie was released. I think Sandra Bullock was in it? I never got to see it, but ok! Knowing that The Rules of Magic was a prequel to that book I decided to read Practical Magic first. It is not necessary to do that, though I am glad I did. Both books can easily stand on their own. I think if I were to do it again, I would have read this book first and then Practical Magic.

Both books are a slow burn. It took a good 25% before the story really gets into swing. Don’t misunderstand me, it is a good, well written 25%. The methodical layering of personal relationships between the characters and the world they live in takes skill and above all else time.

As the descendants of witches, the Owens family are magical people. I found them fascinating. They know everything about curses and charms. Which herbs will cure fever and which will shake loose an unwanted lover. Black cats are not bad. Witches can’t drown and always carry lavender in your pocket. Even with all their knowledge, some parts of life cannot be tricked, manipulated or avoided.

"Life was short, it was over in an instant, but some things lasted. Hate and love, kindness and cruelty, all lingered and, in their case, all had been passed on."

The Owens family suffers from a curse. Despite the curse, they each must come to learn to:

"Love more, her aunt had said. Not less."

It is a short but sweet thought from a lovely book. It is what we should all strive to do, with or without the help of magic. This book is one I’m going to think about for some time. I will likely revisit it as well. If you have a chance, I highly recommend getting to know this author and her beautiful books. You won’t be sorry

Song for this book: Millstone by Eisley

I really liked it. The Practical Magic is my favourite book, so I want really to read this book.
I find it interesting, and a beutiful and sometimes sad story about the Owens.
You dont need know the Practical Magic, this story is full in itself.

It's FANTASTIC!!!!!

"The Rules of Magic", is such a wonderful world to visit.
Most people avoided the Owens family believing any entanglement with them would taint not only their present but their future as well.
It was said that some family members could place a single horse hair into a pan of water and turn it into a snake.
Yikes... that might scare me away from them too! Ha!

But -- oh how I loved this family who came from a long line of witches as far back as the year 1620 when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for falling in love .... with the wrong man.
The siblings- Franny, Jet, and Vincent are colorful fascinating distinct characters each with special powers - gifts- personality- temperament and charm. Aunt Isabelle is a standout, too. They made me laugh. They made me cry.

From Manhattan to Massachusetts to California--the storytelling is irresistible - filled with magic and imagery -many scents throughout: wildflowers, herbs, eucalyptus, peppermint, trees, patchouli, chocolate, bittersweet scent of almonds, curries, coffee, even bacon.... etc. etc.
Flowers were everywhere at "The Summer of Love" gathering in San Francisco.
You'll even visit the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967..... The grateful dead, Janis Joplin, the who, Jimi Hendrix, and Otis Redding: Music Love Peace

Page after page.... are delightful surprises... gorgeous prose!!!
I devoured this book....taking away wisdom-which brought me back to the 'magic' of our everyday lives. ----- but... I miss these folks, their stories and their rules, already!

Thank You Netgalley, Simon & Schuster, and Alice Hoffman

So rarely does a work of fiction reach out and grab me. Such was the case with the Rules of Magic. A prequel 20 years in the making, Hoffman returns to the legendary Owens family, this time telling the tale of aunts Frannie and Jet....and their little brother, Vincent.

The flowing prose and sweeping scope make the story at once fresh yet familiar, and I was swept into the world of the story from moment one. More than once I had to pause to let story elements was over me. It was the Owens story I never knew I needed and I am so grateful to have read it.

Fans of Alice Hoffman's Practical Magic will be enthralled by The Rules of Magic, the prequel to Hoffman's most popular book. Who would not want to learn the back story of the aunts, Franny and Jet, from Practical Magic? Starting with Maria Owens in 1620, condemned as a witch for loving a married man, the Owens women are not just unlucky in love but actually cursed. To save her descendants from heartbreak, Maria curses Owens women - they must never fall in love as it will prove fatal to the men they love.

Franny and Jet learn this lesson from their mother Susanna who seeks to protect her daughters and her charismatic son Vincent from the Owens legacy by leading ordinary lives, free of magic. But fate is inevitable, and all Susanna's children are magically gifted and unable to avoid love. Tragic events send Franny and Jet back to Aunt Isabelle and the house on Magnolia Street where secrets are revealed and magical lessons learned. Vincent walks his own path, ultimately leaving his sisters a surprising gift that impacts their lives forever.

The real magic here is the spell cast by Alice Hoffman on readers; her mastery of storytelling and evocative imagery allows readers to enter the magical world of the Owens family. Love binds them together just as much as magic, and they learn life lessons from the tragic, romantic and magical aspects of life. To love is to risk losing everything someday, but love is not a curse to be avoided - it is a vital part of life, rife with both happiness and heartbreak. Franny, Jet and Vincent prove to know the rules of magic very well indeed - the magic power of love to heal, to wound, to change life irrevocably, to last beyond death. Fall under the spell of The Rules of Magic - you will gladly give yourself up to the enchantment of this book.

I have no words…. Alice Hoffman took my heart and soul with this book. I am not battling book hangover. I am so happy that I finally got to read the Aunt’s story. I loved the aunts in Practical Magic. They were so much fun to read in that book. While you technically could read this book first I recommend reading Practical Magic first as it sets up the aunts story just a bit more. There is so much character depth here. This book had me crying out of heart ache for the aunts and laughing at their behavior along the way. This book had so much magic and imagery. It was written with beautiful prose. This book is wonderful and I loved the writing. Hopeful and dark, funny and sad, I could not put it down. This book shows us that although we may know the ending to our life, its more about the journey and how we get there. This book will surely be a chart topper. I also hope they turn this one in to a movie as well. I received this book in exchange for my honest review as an invite from the publisher to read on net galley. 5 stars from me.

I'm a huge fan of Practical Magic, both the book and the movie, so I was ecstatic when I discovered there was a prequel! I love that this gave more insight into the early lives of Franny and Jet (and their brother Vincent). The things they went through as children while discovering their powers reveal why they are so cautious with Sally and Gillian, and both Jet and Franny experienced the pain that all Owens women encountered when they loved someone. Getting to learn more about the story of this fun and mysterious family made for an overall excellent read.

A beautiful, romantic prequel to the wonderful Practical Magic. The Rules of Magic tells the story of the aunts from Practical Magic from their childhood to the arrival of two young nieces. Magical and heartbreaking in equal measures, fans of the book and the movie of Practical Magic will not be disappointed.

I would like to thank Simon & Schuster for sending me an advance readers copy of "The Rules of Magic." This is the 26th book I have read by Alice Hoffman, so I guess you could say I am a fan of her writing.

"The Rules of Magic" is the prequel to Hoffman's book "Practical Magic." It tells the story of "The Aunts," Franny and Jet, and their brother Vincent, their early life and coming of age in NYC, and coming to terms with their magical inheritance. Was this magic handed down for many generations in the Owens family a gift or a burden? That question could not be answered -- it simply WAS.
Franny, Jet, and Vincent have always felt that they were different, but full self awareness only came one summer spent at their Aunt Isabel's home in Massachusetts. There, they come to learn that self acceptance was as important as love for a happy and fulfilled existence. For centuries, the Owens women are taught that love is a burden, that falling in love carries deadly risks, but that a life without love is a small death in itself. It takes a lifetime to learn that the only cure for love is to love more.

"The Rules of Magic" is really Franny's story. She is the strongest of the Owens siblings and also the most stubborn, and certainly the most resistant to letting others into her heart. She dubs herself the "woman of thorns" and her heart is impenetrable, except for the love she feels for her two siblings. Even her childhood sweetheart, Haylin, can't break through the walls she puts up. Is it self preservation or self destruction? Or is she really the most loving because she thinks this fortress will protect those she loves most?

But the reader comes to love Franny. And seeing her journey gives you insight into how she became the way she is, and how her legacy being passed on to Sally and Gillian (in Practical Magic) was destiny.

This book was a pleasure to read. No one weaves a tale quite like Alice Hoffman. I can't wait to read my next Hoffman book!