Something Close to Magic by Emma Mills didn't disappoint. I loved everything about it. Thank to you NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

This was a book I read in one sitting, which is always the case for this author. I adore her books so much, and this was no exception.

Take one of her best books and add a little magical element to it. Her pacing was on point and her writing is just so fun and hilarious.

I'll read anything by this author, and that's all there is to it.

This was totally different from her other books, but I still very much enjoyed it. It is so witty, and I loved it. Reminded me of Foolish Hearts, which I adored.

I wanted to love this book, but it ended up not being for me. The writing felt more like middle-grade, particularly in regards to how the primary romance subplot was handled. The plot lacked propulsion, and the magic system felt underutilized. That's not to say fans of younger YA and lower fantasy won't enjoy this, it just wasn't my cup of tea. However, I will still continue to read everything Emma Mills ever writes, and I would love to see her write another fantasy book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Review has been published on Instagram @rivalreads.

Thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy of something close to magic. I love these cute on the edge of ya and new adult books about magic and mayhem and some romance and friendships. Those will definitely be something to carry and put up in our Halloween listings.

I liked this book a lot! The story line hinges not on the fact that magic is outlawed but more that it has fallen out of fashion. The cast of characters were easy to connect with and root for. I liked how the author gave us multiple perspectives to keep with the storyline. I also like that the side characters seemed well defined and gave much to the story as a whole. Not everything turned into a happily ever after and not every problem was perfectly solved by the end but I felt that was a more believable ending than tying everything up in a bow.

Took me a while to get into this one, but once I did I couldn't put it down. Definitely gave the magic, cozy vibes that I was looking for, and I will be recommending to students.

This is Emma Mill's first fantasy, and she did a fantastic job! It was so fun and enthralling and hilarious with heart-pounding action and a sweet, sweet romance. I loved it!

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

I’ve read a couple of books (FIRST & THEN and THIS ADVENTURE ENDS) by Emma Mills, and I loved them both. They’re both contemporary stories, so I was really excited to see how this author writes fantasy.

I loved this. It’s got all the things I love about her contemporary stories (complex, likable characters, great dialogue), plus palace intrigue and an interesting magic system.

There’s a writing device in which the story’s main character starts out believing a lie. The plot of the story forces the character to challenge that lie. SOMETHING CLOSE TO MAGIC might be the best example I’ve ever seen of that particular storytelling method.

Prince Hapless has been told so many times that he’s silly and basically useless that he believes it and doesn’t stand up for himself when people continue to put him down or ignore his ideas/needs because they assume he’s being ridiculous. And Aurelie works for a domineering (and abusive) woman who takes every opportunity to remind her that she’s valueless, especially without the apprenticeship in the bakery. Aurelie knows her boss isn’t a good person, but she does believe those words about her value and about how people will treat her based on that lie.

The story is packed with snappy dialogue. I loved that so much. It’s got an upbeat feel to it mostly, but I definitely cried in the scenes where Hapless and Aurelie are confronted by the lies they believe in all their ugliness. Those scenes were really heartbreaking.

I loved the four central characters: Hapless, Aurelie, Iliana (the bounty hunter) and Quad (the troll). Quad is awesome. Every time something frustrates me or is annoying, I want to dismiss it with, “Mortal invention,” the way she does. Ha!

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Included as a top pick in weekly June New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached)

Fantasy is not my thing. I'm the first to admit that. Something Close to Magic was on my TBR simply because I have adored all the YA contemporary romances Emma Mills has written. I went into this book with an open mind and ended up enjoying it. Mills writing continues to be engaging. The characters were fun and interesting. I loved the friendships that developed between them. The banter was great and probably what made this book the most fun for me. I liked the quest they were on, but it was a little overshadowed at times. Overall, it was a fun read. I keep seeing it described as a "cozy YA fantasy" and I would completely agree with that.

Super cute, funny and comforting, reading Something Close to Magic feels like a warm hug. Mills has done well with her debut into the YA Cozy Fantasy space.

I've loved some of Emma Mills' YA Contemporary stories and was so excited to see her explore YA Fantasy. Unsurprisingly, she was able to deliver her same heart-warming and humorous writing style to this tale.

In this story we follow 17-year old Aurelie, an overworked and underappreciated baker's apprentice at Basil's Bakery. Nevertheless, Aurelie persists. She keeps her head down and does her work, trying not to attract the attention of the grouchy and miserable bakery owner.

Aurelie's life is up-ended one day when a determined bounty hunter, Iliana, enters the bakery and asks Aurelie to assist her on a quest in the dangerous Underwood. Iliana has Seeking Stones she would like Aurelie to use to help her to find a kidnapped Prince and she's not taking no for an answer.

Seeking is a magical skill that Aurelie has, but it's not one she utilizes often. Eventually though, Aurelie caves. Iliana is persuasive and as it turns out, she's got some time off of work anyway, and oh yeah, thanks to her miserable boss, no place to stay during her break. Might as well go on an adventure!

They set out on their quest, they make friends, they find the hapless Prince, aptly named Prince Hapless and charming hijinks and character growth ensues.

Mills nailed her transition to Fantasy. She delivered her signature witty banter, cutsey romance, cozy vibes, light magic, court intrigue and sweetly-charming characters. The perfect potion for a fun story!

I would absolutely recommend this to Readers who have enjoyed Mills' work in the past, or any Cozy Fantasy Readers in general, YA or Adult. For example, if you loved My Lady Jane, A Far Wilder Magic, or Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, you should definitely check this one out.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I adored my time with this story and really hope Mills continues on in this space.

Such a cute YA fantasy! I loved the humor and sarcasm between the characters. The pacing of the book was really good - I was surprised with how quickly I read through it. Following Aurelie, Hapless, Iliana, and Quad on their adventure was enjoyable and I loved how their little family came together. And the letters between Aurelie and Hapless?! Absolutely adorable! If you’re in the mood for a cozy YA fantasy, this is it! Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for the arc.

Something Close to Magic is a sweet story brimming with likable characters.

This was my first read by Emma Mills and I wasn't certain what to expect. Her style leans heavy on Character over plot, a style that typically does not work for me. It is done so well here though, I couldn't help feeling engaged with everyone we are introduced to.

This is a quick and cozy read that is perfect for a lazy weekend in.

Holy sugar this was amazing!
We follow Aurelie who is working as a baker’s apprentice when a bounty hunter named Iliana walks into her shop and changes her world forever with the adventure of a lifetime. Something Close to Magic has literally everything I love in a cozy fantasy - quests, baked goods, friendship, found family and magic!
10/10 recommend picking up this charming read!

Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Aurelie, a bakers apprentice, is stuck where she is. Her parents don't want her and can't afford her. She can't afford school and the baker has taken her in as her unpaid apprentice. What Aurelie does have is magic, though it is looked down upon.
When a stranger shows up at the bakery looking for help, of the magical kind, a strange friendship is formed. This friendship leads Aurelie on an adventure where she learns her value and even gets to meet a prince.
Opinion
This book is a great read for young adults who love books with magic. From the quest, to the found friendship, to the love, I was enraptured reading this and am still thinking about what the characters are currently doing. Though the story was finalized, it was left a bit open so that the reader can decide what happens next or dare I say, left open for a new book. I would 100% put this book into the hands of any young adult to read.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I’m a huge Emma Mills fan. Every New Years Day for a few years in a row, I would hang out and read her next release that day, basically in one sitting, to start the New Year off on the right foot. I think I still have one contemporary romance from her backlist to read but I was really excited to see her foray into fantasy… especially one that sounded on the cozier side!

I’ll admit that it took me a while to get into this. I think the problem was mostly having to read on my iPad because of the file type but I also just wasn’t hooked like I thought I would be. Her writing style is really different here and fantasy-oriented. I never would have guessed it was her writing without knowing. It just took a little getting used to! There are some elements of her signature clever dialogue between the characters though, so that helped!

The story centers around Auralie, a baker’s apprentice in a small village, who suddenly finds herself hanging out with trolls and princes and bounty hunters. They go on a little quest at the beginning and then there’s an interlude of letter-writing (cute!) before some fun drama and action at the end. I’d definitely say this qualifies as a cozy fantasy because it’s breezy and fun to read while not having high-stakes action and worldbuilding.

The second half of this book honestly REALLY took off for me. The trouble I had trying to get into the first half? It was like the complete opposite for the other half! The banter and friendship between the characters was so enjoyable to read. I loved watching Auralie come out of her shell and realize she deserved more from her life. The romance was cute – it was definitely centered within the story as a main plot point but the friendship vibes were more enjoyable for me personally. I was rooting for everyone so hard. I know this is a standalone and I think that works well, but I could absolutely seeing this become a fun companion series where Quad and Iliana get their own stories and adventures!

I think I would still recommend this for fans of Emma Mills who also like lighter fantasy novels. The more I read, the more it felt closer to her contemporary books in terms of dialogue and conversations between characters. I would also recommend this to anyone looking for a cozy *young adult* fantasy. We’ve seen these take off in the adult space a little more lately, but this hits it perfectly for a YA audience.

Something Close to Magic was wholly delightful! Emma Mills has long been one of my favorite contemporary YA authors and is a QUEEN of comfort reads, so I was thrilled to learn she was coming out with a young adult fantasy novel. And friends, this was flippin’ adorable!

Consider picking up this book if you enjoy:
-Magical adventures
-Quests with friends
-Found family
-Endearing characters
-A character-driven plot that’s touching but not angsty
-A baker’s apprentice heroine
-A Cinnamon Roll // Golden Retriever hero (not surprising since his name IS Prince Hapless)
-Queer secondary characters (am I sensing a sequel?!)

This novel included plenty of magic and action, but somehow still felt like a quieter, comfort read to me. The vibe is more younger-YA and reminded me a bit of Ella Enchanted. Mills particularly shines when it comes to her characters, and this cast was both charming and endearing. Highly recommend! Emma, please give us a sequel!

Thank you to Atheneum Books, Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for the ARC. Something Close to Magic releases June 13th!

This book is so good!! It was such a refreshing read, I had the best time reading it and I wish I could do it all over again. The writing was so engaging and it was the perfect mix of magic, romance and adventure. The story flew by, which just tells me that the pacing was on point. I loved all the adventures and escapades and I really enjoyed this group of characters.
What I love about this author’s YA contemporary books is still present in her first YA fantasy. Her stories always have the best friend groups and Something Close to Magic was no exception. I loved the found family feeling of this one as four unlikely heroes came together to figure out who was behind a mysterious attack on the prince. I loved the sarcasm, sass, charm and bravery that these main four characters had. They were so easy to root for and it was so great following along with their story.
This book was so entertaining, clever and fun. I really hope this author considers writing more fantasy in the future! She’s always been such a reliable author for me and I highly recommend checking out her books if you haven’t before!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!