Abandoned as an infant, Maria is raised by Hannah Owens. As a young child, Hannah recognizes that Maria has a gift and begins to help cultivate that gift of magic. Maria has a romantic adventure with a man and falls in love. Or what she believes is love. She follows him to Salem, Massachusetts at a time when witches were being prosecuted and executed. She soon finds out that desire and love are not the same. A curse is cast that cannot be broken. This is a magical story of strong, independent and intelligent women.

"Life is not what you think it is. Remember that. Remember me."

With the arrival of November comes cooler air, shorter days, and the need to curl up with a good book. I was given a copy of Alice Hoffman's Magic Lessons from her publisher and was eager to read this prequel to her hit Practical Magic. While I had never read a novel by the author before, this combination of historical fiction and fantasy seemed like the perfect read to tie into the change of seasons. As an added bonus, I hoped that it would also help my mind escape from the tumultuous election season. While it turns out it wasn't exactly the kind of novel I was expecting, there is still a lot to like about the book.

The novel traces the history of the Owens women, famed masters of the "unnamed art". Maria Owens, just a small infant, is left abandoned in a rural field in England. Fortunately for her, Hannah Owens, a single woman who lives on the outskirts of town, takes the child in as her own. From a young age, Maria is extremely adept at learning Hannah's magic. The child sees how women from the town flock to Hannah's cottage for her remedies of everything from common medical ailments to matters of love. She also learns that there are some things you shouldn't mess with. Hannah warns her about matters of the heart. For every blessing bestowed, a curse must also follow.

As Maria grows into a young woman, tragedy strikes and forces her to flee to the new world. Even on her journey across the sea to America, Maria puts her skills into practice. She heals a young sailor from his illness and seems to fall under his spell in the process. Still, she is extremely wary of the trappings of love and refuses to fall into such traps herself. Her journey in the new land sees her break free from indentured servitude and follow her heart to a new town. Little does she know the trouble that awaits her in Salem, Massachusets.

I have quite a mixed reaction to Alice Hoffman's Magic Lessons. I absolutely slogged through the first half of the novel, not feeling much connection to the characters are the events that unfolded. I think this is partly because Hoffman merely told us about what was happening instead of actually showing it. The beginning has a lot of history and rules to establish. I never felt like the discovery of this history was organic. It wasn't until the protagonist Maria arrived in America and made her way to Salem, that the pace quickened and my investment in the story finally took hold.

Placing a woman who practices witchcraft directly into the setting of the horrendous trials against women brought some much-needed drama and suspense to the work. Commentary about feminism and family peppered into the story in a way that only heightened by connection in the latter half of the book. And so I'm on the fence about recommending this novel. I nearly stopped reading it in the beginning, but I couldn't put it down toward the end. I won't be rushing to read a Hoffman novel any time soon, but I also wouldn't' be against reading one down the road.

Magic Lessons, the prequel to the Practical Magic books, does NOT disappoint! Alice Hoffman tells of the Owen's family origins, filled with much travels, magic, girl power, and heartbreak, was fast moving and delightfully eventful. Thank you NetGalley, author and publisher for the e-reader for review, all opinions are my own.

No one shall love an Owens woman. The healers, the witches of 1600's are featured through the story of three. Maria is the main character and she encounters and discourages love as dangerous to the healing arts and the heart.a wild ride through the story of her beginnings, her own mother true love and being a mother herself. Close calls and conjuring make this an enjoyable reading experience.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

I so enjoy getting lost in an Alice Hoffman book and this one is such a thing of beauty! One of the best books I've read this year, I really hope someone makes a movie from it. I'm truly in awe of an author who can tell a magical tale so beautifully that you feel lost in another world and time, something that is so needed right now as our world seems to be falling apart. I wish it didn't have to end.

What an amazingly fascinating story! While this is a prequel to Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic, it is easily a stand alone book. If you have an interest on the whole series, it's probably better to read them in the order published, but not necessary. Maria Owens is such a fascinating character, and her story is told brilliantly by Hoffman. While fiction, there's so much history surrounding the Salem witch trials woven into the story you almost feel like Maria Owens is a real person and this is a biographical story. It has an amazing amount of detail without feeling slow and sluggish. The characters are perfectly developed, and while some aren't particularly likeable (Faith comes to mind), they're still relatable and real.

I'm a huge fan of Hoffman's books; this one is no exception!

Magic Lessons is the prequel to Practical Magic where you learn about Maria Owens, the head of the Owens women who are of witches. I enjoyed learning the back story of the Owens women and the struggle for Maria,and women of that time period. This is the darkest of the Magic trilogy and hearts wrenching in parts. Alice Hoffman is a fabulous writer and I always enjoy her books and love the way she writes. I will be recommending this to my patrons.

Fans of Hoffman will not be disappointed in her latest magic book. Strong characters, a well developed plot, and historical accuracy make this a pleasure to read.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman.

Not very many people can get me to sit down a read a hefty book about witches and magic, I shy away from anything that even hints of fantasy or supernatural. BUT, Alice Hoffman IS magic, so here we are.

I really really really need to read Practical Magic, it's time, especially because I have now read both of the prequels and the Owens family saga has now been imprinted on my soul.

This really does have everything, family, love, children, heartbreak, betrayal, fear, superstition, bigotry, hatred, prejudice, misunderstandings, and of course, CURSES. Maybe that's why it's still so readable, because it's so completely human. It's written with care and detail and absolute regard for the characters that she has so beautifully fleshed out.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to read Practical Magic!

I was very excited to read this one thanks to NetGalley. I am a huge fan of Alice Hoffman and this one did not disappoint. It is a great prequel to both The Rules of Magic and Practical Magic. I loved the characters and the story. A must read for all
Practical magic fans

* I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.”
I have loved the other books in this series. I was looking forward to another before story of this family.
However, this book was so slow. I didn’t feel like I was getting anywhere and trying to wade through became excruciating.
I am very disappointed.

What a stunning book. It’s been a few years since I’ve been in the Owens world but I always love prequels to a good story. And with this one, Alice Hoffman more than made it worth my while. The world she created is a world where being a witch is just as natural as being a prodigy at math. It’s simply an amazing skill that many appreciate and many fear. As a lover of history, I enjoyed the foray into the 17th century and especially adored a personal touch of including a major supporting Jewish character. I related to the story that much more when I recognized one of my own,m

Not having read the previous 2 books in this series, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But what a delight, this title works well as a stand alone story and no doubt I’ll return to it after having read the other books.

A fabulous unputdownable prelude to the Practical Magic series. It tells the spellbinding story of Maria Owen's. The story is full of history, love, and witchcraft. A must read.

Alice Hoffman returns to tell the origin story of the Owens family in Magic Lessons, the prequel to The Rules of Magic and Practical Magic. It begins with Hannah Owens and the baby she finds abandoned in a snowy field in rural England that she names Maria and raises as her own. The story follows Maria Owens and her daughter, Faith, as they navigate life, love, revenge and, of course, magic. I adored this book!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Maria Owens and how the curse on the Owens family came to be. While some part of the story felt repetitive, the ending was so satisfying I am able to overlook that flaw. Highly recommended for fans of the Practical Magic series.

I listened to this on Audible and made it through the first part. I thought I would be intrigued by a story about witches (I always find this topic interesting), but I just could not get into this one. There were some interesting plot points, but the story was a bit too scientific. Rather than a tale about witches and learning the craft, the author just listed out herbs and remedies over and over again. I got bored, so will be putting this one down.

Starting the PRACTICAL MAGIC trilogy not by publishing date, but in chronological order, is probably a controversial choice but knowing the movie already like the back of my hand, I thought it would be a fun journey to start with this MAGIC LESSONS! This book tells the origin story of Maria Owens, the matriarch of the family who curses the Owens women in the 1600s in Salem, which bleeds through all stories (and allows for heartbreaking plot points!) This book was a slow burn for me, especially since I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction. I enjoyed this one, but I feel like it's not 100% for me so I can't highly recommend unfortunately. It makes me really excited for the next two books though, and I'm glad I have the foundation to keep going!

Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite authors, because she knows how to create characters that touch your heart and soul. I loved this prequel to Practical Magic, learning more about the earlier ancestors of the Owens sisters. Maria Owens with her fierce determination and her daughter, Faith, took me through the early years of America to the Salem Witch Trials. I will read anything Alice Hoffman writes.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not gonna lie, for me, I was completely bored for a good percentage of this book. The last few chapters finally picked up and saved this one. Alice Hoffman was a bit wordy in this one, way too much explaining going on. But, as I said, she brought it all together and ended the book with a strong finish.
**Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley in exchange of an honest review.**