I wish I could award more than 5 stars. This sequel to Alice Hoffman's Practical Magic is excellent - everything you wish for in a sequel. The narrative picks up years after Practical. Gilly and Sally are still suffering the effects of the Owens family curse - to never know love. Sally's daughters are grown and suffering from the curse as well, as they are coming into their power. Their great aunts, Jet and Franny are watching over them all, searching grimoires and ancient texts for clues. Several tragedies occur that send events in motion that may allow them to finally break the curse set by Maria Owens centuries ago. To what extent will the family go to be able to fall in and live in love? Excitement, suspense, a little horror and much, much more fill this book and make it a fabulous, fulfilling read. You could read The Book of Magic without reading Practical Magic but why would you want to? Alice Hoffman has maintained her place as one of my most favorite authors. Practical Magic was the first book of hers I read and went on to read most of them. I urge you all to do the same. I am honored and thankful to have received an ARC through NetGalley.

I'm really glad that although this is a book in a series, each book acts as its own story so you do not need to read them in specific orders. I was highly entertained with all the characters but there were times I lost track who was who. However I was very immersed in the plot.

In typical Hoffman fashion, this You will become immersed in the life of a family of witches who have lived with a curse for 300 years. Although the beginning of the book spends time pulling together threads from the previous books in the Practical Magic saga, you had better be ready for a wild ride to wrap up the Owens family saga! Will the curse finally be broken? What will the cost of breaking the curse do the members of the family? Strap on your seatbelts and get ready to read! (Pub date October 2021)

Review posted at www.storytreebooks.com

For longtime fans of Alice Hoffman this completes the four book series about the Owens family, While each book stands alone, you'll enjoy this one more if you read Practical Magic first, The Rules of Magic and Magic Lessons can be read in any order and The Book of Magic concludes the saga as it sees the family come together in their quest to break the curse. While thoroughly entertaining, a genealogy chart would have been quite helpful as I kept trying to jot down a family tree from Maria Owens forward to put everything in context. And, by the way, there are plenty of unsung characters in that chart should Ms. Hoffman change her mind and gift us with another Owens tale. I would love to know all about the generation that came after Faith Owens and the generation including the parents of Sally and Gillian. More, I think we all want more!

If you’re a fan of Alice Hoffman’s “Practical Magic “ books as I am, you might begin this one with ambivalent feelings. On the one hand, I couldn’t wait to get back to the Owens family, whom I fell in love with when I started this series. On the other hand, it’s described as the conclusion of it, and I knew it would be hard to say goodbye. There are reminders of the past, things we read about in the previous books, but I would definitely recommend that the other books be read before this one to have the full emotional impact of the Owens family curse over generations- they shouldn’t fall in love. As life sometimes demands, this was a rule that was difficult to follow and not without consequences of loss and grief and unfulfilled lives. A difficult fate for these characters with such a capacity for love.

Bringing together characters from the previous books, as well as some new additions, taking us from Massachusetts to Paris, to London, Hoffman once again had me mesmerized as they journey to find an end to the curse. I’ve been under the spell of the Owens family through every book in this series, not through their witchcraft mind you , but through the magic of Alice Hoffman’s amazing story telling, beautiful writing and unforgettable characters. Magic and witchcraft, sure but this is mostly about a family who love each deeply and will do anything for each other.

I’ll keep on wishing for some of that black soap to look younger, a cup of Courage Tea because we all need courage now and then, and definitely a slice of Chocolate Tipsy Cake, no explanation needed. Even though the ending was perfect, I’ll mostly be wishing that Alice Hoffman will bring the Owens family back .


I received an advanced copy of this book from Simon & Schuster through Edelweiss and NetGalley.

A wonderful conclusion to the Practical Magic story! I loved seeing all of the siblings interact and the multigenerational story is sure to appeal to readers of all ages. I will definitely be recommending this one to all of my patrons and doing it with the student book club this year.

In THE BOOK OF MAGIC, Hoffman brings to a satisfying close the stories of the Owens sisters. All of the chracters from the previous three novels either appear in this novel or are heavily referenced. But even if one hadn't read any of the previous books, this novel would still win you over. The characters are compelling, the story line complex and the ending a delight. I just love Alice Hoffman. she can't write quickly enough for me!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.I loved this book--I think people actually say that a lot about Alive Hoffman novel's but I do believe it was one of my favorites, ever. So much magic AND the promise of more to come. This works as a stand alone novel if you haven't read the previous books in the series. It also won't spoil the first books of the series if you read this one first and absolutely love it as I did.

Fantastic book! Well written and great for all practical magic fans. Absolutely loved this book! Thanks to publisher for allowing me to read this book!

This was my least favorite book out of the series. The plot was slow and dragged a lot for me. It didn't really pick up until the end, but honestly there were some parts that could have been taken out to make the book better.

I wanted to love this book so much because I really love her other works, but I fell asleep through a lot of this. I will still continue to read her books though.

Thank you Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited when I saw this book was available because I love Practical Magic. While I did not think The Book of Magic was quite as good and I had a problem with a couple of the plot elements, I do think it was very good and a must read for fans of Hoffman.

There are not enough words to describe this book. For me it was magical and emotional. Family life with a twist comes full circle. Full of love, laughter, sadness and adventure, The Book of Magic is a wonderful book. Franny and her nieces, Sally and Gillian, travel to where the Owens family curse began to try to put an end to it, finding family and love along the way. Thanks go to the author Alice Hoffman, publisher Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for an honest review.

I always enjoy time spent with the Owens family. The Book of Magic gives us a fantastic conclusion to the Owens family saga. In the beginning Aunt Jett hears the sound of the death watch Beatle and she knows her time is near. She chooses to keep this to herself , for a bit. Aunt Jett will bring the Owens clan together again, those that are near and those that are very far away and thought to be gone forever. . In this book we get to see inside the lives of the younger generation. Kylie and Antonia will find out who they really are and maybe what they are meant to be! You can only hide your magic for so long as Sally well knows.. There are surprises in store for all of the Owens clan in this superbly written conclusion. This book is definitely a must read and it can be a stand alone novel as Hoffman gives us a clue to the past without it being overly heavy. Hoffman's magic lives and this book
and it will make your heart happy..

I had a really hard time getting through her previous prequel like a 2 year hard problem. But when I did it was pretty good. I liked hearing about the family and learning more about the sisters before practical magic. If you liked thay, I would recommend continuing this prequel series.

"This is what love was, you stayed when you wanted to run away. You held on when you knew you had no choice but to let go."

And so begins the ending of a much loved series. I grew up with Practical Magic and have adored each novel since. The way we've met the Owens sisters and then their nieces and their children has made for I admit quite a few characters but all memorable due to how well she's able to craft a world of magical realism. And just as before, she did not disappoint.

The Owens women have always been cursed in love, but most of them were aware of the curse. Due to Sally losing two husbands to the curse, she didn't want to tell her daughter's about it or their magic until they actually fell in love. Only problem is Kylie has secretly fallen in love, and her boyfriend is in a coma. Due to her finding out about the curse at the worst possible moment, she takes off to England alone and doesn't tell anyone where she is. And of course the deathwatch beetle comes for someone in the very first chapter. You'll start crying there and sniffle the whole way through.

The absolute best thing about this novel is the closing. Everyone gets an ending wether good or bad and there are no cliffhangers left. You'll be able to close this book and truly know what happens to every last one of the Owens women. The worst part is the exact same. I'm hoping in a few years the author decides she has another Owens book left and must write it, but after reading this I doubt that will happen. We also have for once all of the Owens women together, past and present. This book is pure magic! We see how much each woman is willing to give for the safety and security of a sister, daughter, or someone she loves. And were also reminded that nothing is done without it coming back to you. I truly feel so lucky to have read this book months before publication date. You will have to wait until October 5 to get your hands on this one, but that's not entirely a bad thing. The Owens sisters books have always paired well with a cool fall evening with a Halloween feel, so I did feel a little strange sweating it out in the summer reading this one. But trust me, every single page is worth it. As usual, Alice Hoffman has crafted such a world that I want to go and make a Tipsy Chocolate Cake and read the Grimoire until my hearts content! Was there any question? Five huge stars and more if I could give them.

☄☄☄☄☄

Thank you to NetGalley, Alice Hoffman, and Simon & Schuster for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

It' incredibly difficult for me to write this review without giving away spoilers. I will simply say that it absolutely gutted me and I cried for over an hour while reading it. I have come to love these characters immensely, and to see them sacrifice themselves out of love, but also to see so many of them thrive in such a rich, deserving way, was incredibly overwhelming. I absolutely loved the book, although Tom could have been a little bit more fleshed out for me - he felt a little wooden. But to be honest, he wasn't what was compelling about his book. He wasn't what will stay with me. . The family and the world that Alice Hoffman has created with this series is special and incredibly touching. And as a gay male reader, I would like t0 give a special thank you to her for writing a gay male magical character who has so much dignity, love, respect for himself and care for others. It's rare to find a character like that who is written in such a human way, let alone someone who is so human that he puts himself first, unselfishly. Thank you.

A longtime fan of Hoffman’s <i>Practical Magic</i> series, I was thrilled to discover this final novel (there’s a prequel as well) that features Sally, Gillian, and grown up Kylie and Antonia.

The Owens women have always been cursed in love; this is a well known fact, just as the fact that you plant rosemary for luck and if you save a man once, and you have a heart. Save him twice and he has yours.

Sally fell in love twice and both of her husbands succumbed to the death watch beetle. Just like Aunt Jet’s high school beau and Aunt Granny’s husband. Kylie and Antonia know nothing of the curse because they know nothing of the magic in their veins. Sally has kept it this way their whole lives. And it has worked. Until Kylie fell in love.

And this is the beginning of our wonderful story. Taking place where it all began in Essex, England and in Essex, Massachusetts, we learn the final fate of the Owens women and their curse. And the wonderful ride it is.

Wooh, I read this book In 24 hours. I devoured it as fast
As I could because I needed to know what the Owenses fate was.

Chapter one alone had me balling in tears. Alice Hoffman is such a powerful storyteller and she proofs book after book why she’s an auto read for me always. (Not that this goddess ever needs to prove anything) .

To be honest I had to wait a while to review this book because I went through the stages of grief. The Ownenses have been part of my life for two decades
( dating myself here ). I never want it to end. I do hope that in a couple of years she says psych that wasn’t the last one. Here is more !

For all fans this book is a must read.

An excellent tale of a family of witches cursed to never be able to love without disaster. Deep emotions bring insight into the experience of being a witch during times of persecution and times when towns depended on your gifts for healing. Driven to try and reverse the curse or outwit it, the family experiences great losses and love that transcends all bounds. It's a great story with a depth of wisdom on the challenges of having power that threatens your very life and family. Well written and compelling - a mythic love story. Thought-provoking and darkly moving. It begs the question, how far would you go to protect your loved ones? Enchanting and introspective. A treasure.

Review published on blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend.com/

Alice Hoffman, you have surpassed my wildest expectations!

With The Book of Magic, the fourth book in the magic series, Ms. Hoffman has accomplished what I consider to be an impossible feat. Writing a final installment, that is, in my opinion, better than all prior books in the series.

I adored The Rules of Magic and Magic Lessons and frankly didn’t think any book could surpass those, yet The Book of Magic did exactly that. Bravo Ms. Hoffman, Bravo!

Weaving together all prior books, here we have the final book in the Practical Magic series, with
Aunts Jet and Franny Owens, Uncle Vincent, Sally and Gillian, and Sally’s children, Kylie and Antonia.

Troubling times are ahead for the Owens family, though this should not come as a surprise. The curse that Maria Owens bestowed upon this family still hovers.

When Jet Owens hears the knocking of the deathwatch beetle, she knows her time is drawing to a close and that a lot of work must be done before she draws her last breath.

The Rules of Magic of course, still apply here “Do as you will but harm no one, What you will give will be returned to you threefold” and of course, no falling in love. The issue is of course, that Sally Owens has raised her children as if magic does not exist, thus they know nothing of the curse until it strikes. For Kylie Owens, this spells disaster.

What happens next, is well, pure magic.

Almost from the start, chills ran down my spine and made my pulse quicken at the predicament the Owens family found themselves in. Racing against time, Franny, Sally, Gillian, and Vincent desperately try to save Kylie and destroy the curse once and for all.

Written from the heart, The Book of Magic is character-driven fiction, magical realism and literary fiction all rolled into one.

The Book of Magic is filled with LOVE. Fierce, wicked, and pure. Love is what defines the Owens family and it will prevail.

This is a novel that will most definitely be on my Goodreads best-of-list for 2021.

To Alice Hoffman, thank you for sharing the Owens family with us for all of these years. To Hannah, Maria, Faith, Jet, Franny, Vincent, Sally, Gillian, Kylie, and Antonia Owens: You are loved, Always.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster, Edelweiss, and NetGalley for the arc.

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