I have read an enjoyed Ms. Hoffman's books before, yet for some reason I couldn't get into the story, even though I tried several different times. Thanks for considering me and sending me a copy.

Wow - I will be the first to admit that I haven't read Practical Magic and only know these characters by their movie counterparts. With that being said, I was so mesmerized by Hoffman's writing and the characters that I immediately went out and purchased Practical Magic and plan on reading it before the year ends. I did feel that there might have been some things that were important and eye-opening to people who have read Practical Magic that didn't quite resonate with me but all together this is such a fantastic book that everyone that loves magic needs to give a try!

This a prequel to Practical Magic but can be read as a stand-alone novel. This Owen's story revolves around the lives of siblings Vincent, Franny, and Jet. Will this family learn to accept their ancestry? Can they break the curse?What will happen when one is lost and one loses their power? A powerhouse of a novel built upon the strength of the extended Owens family. Share in their lives, loves, and enjoy learning about discovering who they really are and what they really can do!

What can be said about Alice Hoffman's The Rules of Magic that hasn't been said yet. It is both magical and heartbreaking. I loved hearing about the aunts, Jet and Frances' upbringing and the addition of Vincent....love! The ending was just lovely. I have only seen the movie of Practical Magic, but I must now read the book, as I fear the Aunts may be portrayed differently. I don't feel that you must read Practical Magic first, however. As The Rules of Magic can stand on it's own merit.
If you are a fan of magical realism this book is for you. If you are a fan of the movie Practical Magic, of course this book is for you!


Thank you Simon and Shuster for sending me an invitation to read the book via Netgally in exchange for this honest review.

This prequel to the book Practical Magic is set in the 1960s and it follows the Owens siblings, Franny, Jet, and Vincent. Alice Hoffman's unique writing style makes magical realism come to life as Susanna unsuccessfully tries to keep her children from their magical heritage. They learn from their Aunt Isabelle that their family is cursed and that anyone they fall in love with is doomed, yet she encourages them to love anyway. The story is lovely and magical as all of Hoffman's books are and I highly recommend it.

I was excited when I found out The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman was the prequel to Practical Magic, so much so I moved this book to the top of my TBR list. I wanted to know all about the eccentric aunts and their love stories, including that of their brother.

I'm sorry to say this, but this was a depressing read. Some say it's nostalgic, I think it's depressing. My favorite characters were Jet and April. Jet, because of her sensibility and how she follows her heart despite the curse that's haunted their family. April, because of her carefree, devil may care ways. I wish there would've been more of April and her daughter Regina in the book as they are key to Sallie and Gillian in Practical Magic, but oh well.

Vincent is one confused teenager when he's first introduced in the book, and who comes across as too mature for his age. There were a few things, considering his age, that I thought were wrong--I won't talk about them here because I'd spoil the book. Given the multiple warnings mentioned throughout the book about practicing magic and using the spells in The Magus, I kept waiting for something extraordinarily bad to happen to him. Don't take me wrong, something does happen, but it isn't anything close to what the story led me to believe. As a reader, I didn't feel I got to know Vincent. He is present throughout the story but not really there.

Then, there is Franny. She is the most unlikable person. Ugh. I did not like her one bit. She's so caught up with the curse that she prefers to be miserable rather than love and be happy. She loves Haylin, though she never says it aloud and her push and pull of him drove me nuts. I understood why she did it, but it got to a point where I wanted to throw my kindle to the wall. I wanted her to make up her mind, throw caution to the wind and just love him the way he deserved. Though she loves Haylin, her actions toward him make her a selfish bitch. She's cold toward others--even with Regina, her niece, the only time there's a glimpse of warmth from her is whenever she is with Haylin. Even in her old age, she is a rude old lady. At least to me.

And, whatever happens to Rafael? I really liked his character.

Last, I'm still wondering just how old are Franny and Jet by the time Sallie and Gillian meet them? I'll leave you with that thought and if you read the book, then you'll know what I mean.

I had a really hard time getting invested into this book. In my opinion, it was slow moving and the characters were underdeveloped. I actually couldn't finish the book...and this rarely happens.

To me, the criteria for a really good book is if it makes me believe - no matter how farfetched - and care about the characters and the story. This book certainly did that. I haven't ever read Practical Magic so the Owens family was all new to me. The writing in this book is so good, the characters so vividly drawn, and the story spanning decades of time and characters - that I was swept away by it. And I hated to see it end.

A truly magical book. I loved it.

I don’t usually read books in the fantasy genre but I mean, this is Alice Hoffman. It’s going to be good. I gave myself over to the magic and found that witches, other than not being able to sink, have genuine human emotions and complex feelings. When Aunt Isabelle warned her niece, Don’t try to hide who you are, Franny. Always keep that in mind,” I thought - good advice!

The family curse struck me as more something they all lived in fear of rather than an actual eventuality. Was there a curse? Or did a couple of events make them believe it existed? I thought it interesting that the potions Aunt Isabelle prepared were for love and the curse was against love.

They seemed to believe that changing their circumstances fooled the curse and left it unable to find them, which made me think it was a pretty wimpy curse. Regardless, this was a family saga of a very unusual family. Highly entertaining and now I need to find a copy of Practical Magic to see what happens next.

Alice Hoffman is one of our most esteemed prolific writers and her writing shines in this new release. This is the story of the Owens family before Practical Magic. its the story of the two Aunt's and a new character their Brother. The story follows them as young women seeking love through the curse on their family and learning to appreciate their special gifts as they grow up and experience life as Owens family witches. The writing is masterful and the story enchanting. I highly recommend this new release by Alice Hoffman for all fans of her writing and fans of Practical Magic. A wonderful reading experience. .5 stars for Alice Hoffman.

This was a lovely nostalgic visit back into the world of practical magic. Such a heart warming story about family. Review will be posted on www.creatingherstory.wordpress.com

Alice Hoffman’s first novel, "Property of," was a cult classic:  in this dreamy novel, an unnamed narrator describes her doomed love for the leader of a street gang.  Since her debut in 1977, Hoffman has written 30 novels, three collections of short stories, and eight Y.A. and children’s books.  I have always been a fan of her poetic style, wild fairy-tale-ish take on life, and delicate use of magic realism.

Witch stories are appropriate in October, and Hoffman’s beguiling new novel, "The Rules of Magic," traces the struggles of the modern Owens family against their heritage as witches.   Billed as a prequel to Hoffman’s 1995 novel, "Practical Magic," it can be read as a standalone.  And indeed it was so long ago that I read "Practical Magic" that I consider it a sequel to "The Rules of Magic."

The lyrical narrative of "The Rules of Magic," set mostly in the 1960s,  grows out of an intricate plot. There is a dark curse on the descendants of Maria Owens, who was charged as witch in Massachusetts in 1620  (and who, in her diary, warned her descendants against love).  The curse means the Owenses cannot love without inadvertently hurting their lovers.   Three hundred years later, Susanna Owens of New York believes she has beaten the curse by marrying a man she likes but doesn’t love. She denies her three children, Franny, Jet, and Vincent, their heritage of witchcraft, and does not even allow them  to read about magic.

During a summer in Massachusetts with their Aunt Isabelle, who embraces witchcraft and herbal remedies, they begin to learn about their family and are at last allowed to read magic books.  Birds fly to Franny of their own volition.  A crow becomes her familiar.  Two boys fall in love with beautiful Jet, a fan of Emily Dickinson, and kill themselves over unrequited love .  You can imagine the effect on this poetic girl, who escapes into reading. As for the youngest sibling, Vincent, he studies spells from a  Grimoire and makes mischief: he proudly casts a spell that scares finches away.  Franny is unimpressed:  she points out that a cat can scare finches without magic.
It is a landmark summer, but back in New York the Owens’ lives become more complicated.  Dare they fall in love? Dare they practice magic?  They all have the sight, and are anxious.  Franny is in love with a childhood friend, but refuses to let him get too close.  Jet conducts a dangerous romance:  in Massachusetts , shortly before she left, she fell in  love with Levi Willard, the son of a very conservative minister, who forbids Levi to see her, and who has continued a centuries-old feud with the Oweneses.  And even Vincent, who becomes an alcoholic, finally finds his way out of a drunken haze to fall in love with a man.  But there are obstacles in every path of love, and one tragedy is so poignant I’m still haunted.

The characters are so vivid, and real, and sad, and the pace is so fast that I flew through the book.  How would they manage their lives?  Would they beat the curse?

"The Rules of Magic" is entertaining and poignant, and now I want to go on to "Practical Magic."  If you haven’t read the book, you may have seen the movie with Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock.  I only vaguely remember it, but I look forward to rereading.

The Rules of Magic tells the story of the two mysterious aunts from Practical Magic, and their brother. We hardly know anything about them, not even their names until the very end. But The Rules of Magic digs deeper into the Owens family curse and the history behind it.
Bridget (Jet) and Franny are as different as sisters can be. They remain very close, even when they seem to be distant from each other. Vincent is the younger brother that always seemed to be getting into trouble. They all know they are different from everyone else. Against their mother’s wishes, they each dabble in the special abilities they possess. With these abilities, comes the sight to know that their lives will be difficult and full of sorrow.
I enjoyed The Rules of Magic as a backstory. I was so curious about the aunts and the family history when I read Practical Magic, and this really satisfied my curiosity. It didn’t seem to have the Alice Hoffman flare that I have come to enjoy. The book seemed slow and to drag in several places. I couldn’t wait for them to move into the big house on Magnolia Street, but it just never seemed to happen.
This story did have its appeal. The Owens family have been cursed, ruin will come to those they love. They all try to avoid love at all cost, but like all the Owens before them, they fall in love. Tragedy does befall them, but they learn that they can overcome the curse. It’s not ruin for the ones they love, it’s ruining their lives together.

Blog Post Scheduled 10/16/2017 6:00am EST

Such an enjoyable read! One of those books you don't want to be finished, ever! The Owens family comes from a long line of witches, and each character has his or her own personality. Although YA, this book is eminently suitable for all readers!

This is not my usual genre of books, but I really enjoyed the writing. So much so that I must now go out and buy Practical Magic (the book and then the movie). I found the characters intriguing and the "witch" part of their characters added depth, I would love to know even more about the Aunt in this book and the mother of the children as well as more about the story that caused the "curse". I am definitely excited to read Practical Magic...I think I saw the movie years ago but it will be fun to go back and read the book now that I have some back story...so it's not necessary to have read Practical magic before reading this, it holds it's own as a stand alone story.

In this prequel to Alice Hoffman's Practical Magic, we get to go in to the origin story of Franny, Jet and Vincent. You really don't have to read Practical Magic to better appreciate this prequel, in fact it can be read as a standalone. For those familiar with Practical Magic, it will add another dimension to that all time favorite story while for the newbies it will definitely enthrall you to keep reading about the Owens family and their legacy of magic. Excellent story!

The Rules of Magic, the prequel to Alice Hoffman's popular Practical Magic series, takes the reader back to the 1960s. Susanna Owens is raising her three difficult children, Franny, Bridget and Vincent, in Manhattan and trying tho keep them from their natural instincts as much as possible.

She has 'rules' that she hopes will accomplish this: No walking in the moonlight; no red shoes; no wearing black; no cats; no crows; no candles; no books about magic. And never, ever, fall in love. For, in 1620, their ancestor, Maria Owens, put a curse on love for her family when she was accused of witchcraft by the man she loved.

Then there comes a summer when they break all the rules. Aunt Isabelle summons the kids to the family home in Massachusetts and there they begin to learn who they really are. Is it best to fight it, as their mother has tried to instruct them to do? Or learn to live with it, even revel in it? If they do, will they ever fit into the world around them, be accepted? Through her experiences at school, Franny has learned, "Other people's judgments were meaningless unless you allowed them to mean something."

But uppermost in their minds: Are they doomed to never know true love or is there a way to break the curse and live happily ever after? Maybe Henry David Thoreau was right when he said: "There is no remedy for love but to love more."

Think 'coming of age' story with a hefty dose of magical realism. The setting of the turbulent 60s is the perfect backdrop for these equally turbulent lives. Hauntingly beautiful--a perfect October read!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the authored publisher for the opportunity to read an arc of this new book for an honest review.

The Rules of Magic is a story that will blow you away. Alice Hoffman is truly a talented author. Her writing is truly magical and these characters will fill you with so many emotions after reading it.

I know it's cliche, but the best word I can use to describe this book is "Magical". Truly, I was enchanted from the very beginning. I love the historical elements of New York in the 60s and 70s, and Hoffman's take on witches and magic is just wonderful. I read this without having read or seen Practical Magic (to which/witch it is a prequel) but plan to read and watch it immediately. I can't possibly love this book more!