I am kinda on the fence on this one. I loved the magical elements and the characters, but the story line was a bit hard to keep up with at times. I spent a lot of time having to rewind and get my bearings in a few of the more fast paced places. I think that I would have probably enjoyed and understood the print version better. This is definitely one that i will come back to as i am such a huge fan of Crutcher's work.

yeesh. this does not feel like an adult book at all. the prose is very young sounding and it clashes with the rest of the story. kind of a worse version of practical magic. would have been better if it was YA

I love a good magical story. This one was full of whimsy. Aline was a lovely character. I really like the beginning of the book and learning about her back story. The scene in the bathroom where she enters the mirror was so cool. Dragon is a wonderful character.

As I dove further into the book, it just wasn't for me. I tried to read a few months ago but put it down thinking it was maybe just where I was but upon picking it up again, I realized that the writing style seems to change as we enter the second part of the book. I found the pacing difficult and the change of the style in writing disjointing. The connection between the FMC and MMC lacked depth for me as well. Even in this section though, the detail and created world is beautiful. While this story wasn't for me, I think that it is beautifully described and whimsical.

What Became of Magic by Paige Crutcher was a book that I was hoping to like more than I did. I love witchy reads but I felt that this was not witchy enough or just a different kind of witchy than I usually read. I finished this one, but felt indifferent to the story and characters afterward.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

First I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an arc in exchange of my honest review.

I honestly wanted to love this book, I read the premise and was instantly sold. Witches, a town that is not on the map and magic being literally a person? well who will not be sold with that?. Sadly, I think I have outgrown these type of juvenile stories. Not that the story is juvenile itself, it just really felt that way. The characters acted like they were teens. The relationship between both MC felt like really rush and I really really dislike the insta-love trope. Like I was literally 8 percent in and the MC were already kissing. The whole mean girls ordeal is a no for me to be honest, like I can read books about high schoolers but idk, while I can watch movies/tv shows with bullying and mean girls, reading about it is a real turn off. Maybe people that likes these type of readings or feels will love this one but it definitely wasn't for me.

2.5 stars

What Became of Magic was an interesting read. If you enjoy feeling as though you are in a waking dream world this is for you but otherwise you might not enjoy it so much.

I unfortunately did not love this story and felt that it was more confusing than it was enjoyable. I also felt like the writing was very juvenile and found myself checking to make sure I was actually reading an adult piece of literature and not a young adult novel. This one wasn't for me!

This was a fun, witchy read with a really unique world building and magical system! I would definitely classify this as a cozy read most the time the book felt like a warm hug. The beginning of the book really hooked me but the middle slowed down and added some elements that confused me slightly. I enjoyed the characters I and really thought they were interesting! Overall this was a sweet story that I would definitely recommend!

What Became of Magic is all about betrayal upon betrayal. It actually took me a while to get through the book. I didn’t really connect with Aline. I didn’t really feel any chemistry between Aline and Magic, therefore I didn’t care whether they got together or not in the end.

Thank you, netgalley for my copy of this book.

I enjoyed this one, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I read it during spooky season.

The beginning pulled me in quickly, the middle almost lost me, but overall I enjoyed this one.

If you like witchy stories, pick this one up!

3 stars

My second Paige Crutcher book of the year! I thoroughly enjoyed The Lost Witch and also enjoyed What Became of Magic.

The main character, Aline Weir learned in middle school that it was not a good idea to let others know she could see and talk to ghosts. Feeling like a loner and not understanding why she had that ability, she eventually gets a job at a bookstore with 3 very quirky women. They, along with others, help her understand what she is capable of.

I enjoyed this book but found it a little more confusing than the others, especially once Aline gets to the land of Matchstick, where nothing is as it seems.

It was a solid story with likable characters and a very good pacing overall, The story makes you ask lots of questions throughout and makes you want to keep reading to find the answers.

Reading this book felt like a fever dream. It’s the oddest thing. Like a Diet Acid Trip. Light on the acid, but it’s still there. Like this one part. I don’t know how else to say it, but the person is attacked by the words of a book. At least I think that’s what happened. I think this is one of those books where in order to enjoy it, you gotta be okay with being confused the whole time. I’m not sure if I liked it or not. I’m confused. Obviously.

What Became of Magic
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Paige Crutcher

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Aline Weir, a witch who can talk to ghosts, has kept her talents hidden ever since a disastrous middle school slumber party, choosing to be invisible and use her powers in secret to help lost souls reunite with the keys to send them home. All the while, she finds solace in a bookstore and the three mysterious women who run it… until Aline discovers the book of Mischief, and her powers are enhanced.

Living a solitary life until the age of thirty, Aline’s life takes an unexpected turn when the wrong (or perhaps right) person witnesses her using her powers and she is invited to a town that doesn’t exist on any map. Arriving in Matchstick, Aline learns of a lost magic that desperately needs to be found and only her unique powers can do it. But what she’s not told is that Magic is a person. One that is dangerous and seductive and has been waiting for a witch with a power like hers for centuries.

My Thoughts: I enjoyed the previous book, The Lost Witch, a little better than this one. I really struggled with the layout of the story as it appears that most of the characters talked in riddles. However, I loved the romance blended with the magical theme. While I am not a huge fantasy reader, I do love books revolving around magic and witches. Aline feels like an outcast, as she has the special ability to talk to ghosts, even her own parents made her feel like an outcast. It is not until in adulthood, she meets these eccentric sisters and works in their bookstore, she really comes into her own. Then all of the sudden, she is abandoned by both her ghost friend and the sisters.

The book started off great and grabbed my attention. However, towards the middle, the world switching and magical system became a little confusing. It picks back up towards the last third and finished strong. I loved the ending. The author does a great job at detailing the worlds and building this imagery that really pulls you into the story, immersing you into the story. The characters, while unreliable narrators, were relatable and likable. It was very whimsical, creative, and intriguing. If you love Lana Harper, you should pick this up. I did enjoy the story and would recommend to other readers.

What Became Of Magic is my third novel by Paige Crutcher, and despite being a bit all over the map for me, as it were, it won't be my last. I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

Aline is a lonely girl, ignored by her parents and having no friends until a fateful slumber party shows her the beginnings of a world of magic she never knew existed. As an adult she has found a place in an unusual bookstore and a vocation in her magic but then she finds that the town she thought was just a story is, in fact, real and that her future and the fate of the worlds - real and magic - will rest on the choices she makes.
This book was hard for me to get into and I am not sure why. It had most of the elements I enjoy in a book - magic, a sympathetic main character, a touch of mystery and a clearly viewed “villain”, It even had a very satisfying end yet I found myself putting the book down and days passing before I picked it up to read again which is unusual as I usually devour a book of the this size in a day or two. I really enjoyed Ms Ccrutcher’s “The Orphan Witch” which had many of the same elements as this book and I devoured it in two days. This book will appeal to fans of Ms Crutcher and I may reread it again in a few months to see if I can nail down why, while I enjoyed it, I was not drawn in to this world as much as I was with “The Orphan Witch.” Recommended

What Became of Magic by Paige Crutcher
Publisher: Macmillan
Genre: Women's Fiction
Published: September 26, 2023

What Became of Magic by Paige Crutcher is a standalone fantasy romance. It was definitely different and not exactly what I expected. I would characterize this as unique.

Thankfully, it was a quick read. I think that is why I finished it. There was something about it that kept me reading, but I can't say that I loved it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Sadly, What Became of Magic by Paige Crutcher, just did not catch my attention from the very beginning. Aline was not an interesting character and I didn't care what happened to her and the magical system was confusing at best.

I was given a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I wanted to like this book so much, I’ve enjoyed her other books a lot. However, the plot was confusing and disjointed in my opinion. I’m still not 100% sure what happened! 3 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

I was really intrigued by the premise of the book, but am struggling to keep with it and finish. I fully intend to read through to the end, but it's going to take sometime.

I think the book is exceptionally well written; my challenge seems to be that I find the concepts, the narrative to be very abstract and my brain struggles to wrap my head around the storyline, and follow along.

I am finding it to be a bit slow for my liking, with lots of exposition before some action happens.

I do want to know how it ends, so I'm sticking with it and will update my review when done!

Thanks to the publisher for an eARC of the book. All thoughts are my own.