Many thanks to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the digital ARC of this one, in exchange for my honest review.

What I Liked

The magic system in this book is really interesting, with some cool twisty hereditary stuff happening that gave it a bit of a spooky vibe I wasn't quite expecting.

If you enjoy multigenerational stories this one definitely has plenty of mother/daughter/granddaughter action going on. Some elements of this worked really well, while others did not (we'll get to that in my "what I didn't like" section).

The Tarot magic in this book was really cool! I loved how the deck had a life of its own and made itself known through cookies when Flair tried to ignore the actual deck.

What I Didn't Like

From the cover and the promotion of this book, I was sort of expecting a lighthearted rom com with some extra family drama on top. However, I found this book was actually pretty dark with some deeper issues and darker moments I wasn't expecting from the tin, so to speak.

The mother/daughter relationship was supposed to be a big part of the book, but I had trouble getting a grip on the daughter as a character. She was so filtered through her mom's perspective that she didn't feel real, which made it hard to feel invested. In fact, most of the side characters felt this way, a bit distant and more caricatures than actual well-rounded people.

The last third of the book went really quickly, with issues resolved far too quickly and easily compared with all the build-up. I would've liked to see a bit more payoff for how much time we spent dealing with certain issues and characters. Certain storylines really felt like they just got cut off at the end without ever resolving.

In all, I think I'd have liked this book a lot better if I was prepared for a slightly darker mother/daughter story rather than a lighthearted witchy rom-com. The romance was a bit of an afterthought and the tone wasn't what I was expecting, which made me enjoy it a bit less. That said, I think Playing the Witch Card is a great fit if you love a multigenerational story with a slightly more serious tone than its cover and marketing suggest.

I loved this book. I loved the tarot cards and how they were woven into the story, and I adored the characters. The powerful female family angle was heartwarming and a little bit stressful to read!

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Really great Halloween read and it was easy to imagine being in that exact environment. I enjoyed the character development throughout the story but did feel at some points that it was a bit dragged out.

"Playing the Witch Card" grew on me to the point where I liked it by the end. But the first half of the book is a slog to get through. It’s boring and messy, and if I hadn’t been reading an advance review copy, I wouldn’t have finished it.

But I’m glad I hung in there, because the second half is a huge improvement. Everything that’s wrong with the first 50% somehow manages to right itself, allowing the book to become the fun, witchy mother-daughter tale KJ Dell’Antonia intended it to be.

It just takes a lot of patience to get to the good stuff. Too much patience, probably. So I only recommend giving the book a try if you really want to read it.


My sincerest appreciation to KJ Dell'Antonia, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions included herein are my own.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book about 40% of the way through because the plot was so slow. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my review.

The hype for this book says "Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls" and that was not the vibe I got. PM kind of, but I didn't get any GG vibes. The "romance" was also lacking. If this was being marketed as families and witchcraft and learning to navigate the world, it would be better.

Overall a cute fall vibes book! Just don't go into it expecting Rory and romance and you'll be fine!

This was a perfect book for Halloween. A small town full of witches and magic. I enjoyed this more than Practical Magic.

I love witchy reads so I was excited to get my hands on this new book this season. Overall, not the best witchy book I’ve ever read but also not the worst.

This was the perfect way to kick off fall temps! I’ve loved KJ Dell’Antonia’s work since The Chicken Sisters and In Her Boots. Super atmospheric (yes, it’s basically Stars Hollow!) and does a great job exploring those tricky mother//daughter relationships.

Looking forward to reading whatever KJ writes next!

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC.

I love a good witch book with some drama going on. For Flair there is drama going on all around her. She has moved from St. Louis to a small town in Kansas that is filled with magic all around. However, Flair has forgotten about some of this magic that is happening and doesn't understand the town hierarch system that is going on. Flair is a town baker and owns a coffee shop/ bakery, which some of her cookies have become magical without her understanding how it has happened. Flair's mother shows up with her soon to be ex-husband who is under a spell and Flair needs to get this reversed. On top of it Jude her teenage romance has shown up to town as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and all of the drama that was happening in the town and with magic happening all around.

Thank you #NetGalley for the advance read!

I enjoyed the general fall and cozy vibes of this book, but the story and characters failed to capture me. I found it a little cheesy and boring, unfortunately. I wasn’t able to finish this one, but from the first 20% that I did complete, I felt this is a good fit for people who like slow-paced women’s fiction and who enjoy small town settings. It doesn’t feel like a romcom, more like a family and friends drama!
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc.

Thank you to Putnam and KJ Dell'Atnonia for providing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited for this book and the promise of this story. A mother who is coming back to her small town to have a fresh start with her daughter, only to be drawn back in to her witchy roots and demanding tarot cards...I was so excited for this!

Unfortunately, this story didn't quite live up to my expectations. This story started off strong with the eery witchy feelings of secretive magic and deeply rooted past with her grandma, only to start falling flat half way through. The story has such strong foundations and a well developed plot line, but I felt it was rushed towards the end, when the biggest possible climax of the story was occurring.

There was, also, a lack of character engagement on the romance-side, only to have a weird closure towards the end of the book.

Overall, I have to give this book a mediocre rating to match with how this book left me wanting more.

Oh my, oh my! The perfect atmospheric Halloween fiction book this season. For fans of The Good Witch on Hallmark.

I have been in a horrible autumn reading slump...no mysteries or seasonal autumnal reads have been doing it for me this year. And this ONE HIT THE SPOT. Halloween-y with all the notes, some mystery, a little drama, some magic, holiday decor....and a little bit of Tarot.

Secretly, I am not a fan of friendly contemporary witches; those realistic witches we now have in most contemporary fiction. The Good Witch on Hallmark Channel is the one that does it for me. But this story about magic-avoidant Flair taps all the right notes. If you like the The Good Witch on Hallmark. This will be your vibe.

I enjoyed the use of tarot cards, the small town, Halloween decor and the Halloween trail. That trail gave me good memory feels of haunted houses, haunted trails, trick or treating. All Halloween-y vibes from childhood...come back in adult book form.

Flair is a character who clearly has some issues to work through -accepting her life, her magic and love for her daughter. She is overprotective, a bit of an overachiever, and in the process of controlling every aspect of her life accidentally casts a magic spell on her ex-husband. This ends up causing a bit of mayhem as while trying to fix her own problems, she crash lands into all of the other witchy going-on's in her neighborhood.

I was pleasantly surprised by 2 "gentle", but strong twists that drove the plot line for me. I so wish this book had been more hyped for the season.

Honestly surprised that it hasn't been picked up by some of the bigger book tubers/bloggers/reviews. It's a super good Halloween-niche book.

Thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for an ARC of this book! Thank you to KJ Dell'Antonia for getting my out of my reading slump.

I made it about 70% through this book before deciding that it's just not for me. I think the main draw for me of this book was the comparison to Gilmore Girls, but somehow instead of being cozy and soothing for me, which was the vibe I needed, it actually kept making me anxious because the family drama had me CONVINCED everything was about to go wildly wrong and also, I don't trust anyone in this book. My reading experience of this book is obviously personal to me, but I would say that I don't feel like this book lives up to the promise of a Gilmore Girls comparison. That said, I hope if you pick it up, you enjoy it more than I did!

I received an advanced copy of Playing the Witch Card by K.J. Dell’Antonia from the publisher Penguin Group Putnam via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: Flair Hardwick knows magic is real, but she wants nothing to do with it after she watched it destroy her mother’s life. But when she inherits her grandmother’s home and tea shop (that she converts to a bakery) in Rattleboro, Kansas, a town famous for a Halloween trail unlike any other, she finds magic drawing her back in. When she makes the Tarot card cookies and they unleash the magic of her family’s long hidden family’s deck. The magic unleashed leads to her mother and ex being brought to town and pushing her even more towards magic. To make matters worse, her relationship with her daughter becomes more and more estranged.

What I Loved: I thought the concept was interesting. I liked the book’s general cozy fall vibes. There’s a storyline we get here about 70% into it, that makes the book work plotwise that I thought was fun but wish was introduced earlier.

What I Didn’t Like: I found this book annoying often. I really found that our character’s were very immature. Flair’s entire character is driven by a hatred and fear of magic and the reason isn’t entirely clear, her fear blinds her and makes her make more decisions and make poor interpersonal decisions. I did not buy that Flair was an adult, she seemed incredibly self-centered and was painted as someone who is selfless. A lot of the conflict could have been avoided with conversations. Perhaps, I also found this story irritating because I don’t have a teenager, but I also didn’t understand how Flair’s conflict with her daughter Lucie kept getting out of control and Flair just won’t parent. Flair’s behavior pretty much ruined this for me.

Who Should Read It: People who want books set on Halloween. People who can overlook an immature character.

Summary: A woman hoping to avoids magic moves to a magical town.

This would have been so much more enjoyable if the main character was more likeable. Flair finally becomes relatable at the cookout her mother throws. Until then all she does is complain about Halloween, Magic, and divorce. For a book promoted as "Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic" they only share a small town and magic. I think bringing up the WHY of everything sooner would have helped. Just hinting at the reasons didn’t do much to endear her to the reader at all. The side characters were absolutely fantastic! I loved the town, the mother best friend and love interest.

3.5 stars! #3 on deck for my october spooky reads! I could see the Practical magic element but Gilmore Girls? I didn't quite feel it. thanks netgalley & the publisher for the ARC in exchange for the honest review

I went in expecting something totally different than the book that I got. It felt like there was so much time spent not focused on the plot that I didn't even know what the book was about until well past 50% of the total book. While the ending was entertaining, there was just too many unimportant pieces to this very strange puzzle. Just felt like the editing didn't happen as much as I wanted it to. I enjoyed the fall vibes of the book, but left wanting a lot more.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

A cute little witchy read for spooky season.

I don't think it was anything unlike the other halloween romances out there, but I still enjoyed reading it.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a rough one for me. I love the premise, and had moments of interest, but overall it just didn't capture me and hold my attention like i wanted it to.