Book Review 📚

A Modern Girls Guide to Magic by Linsey Hall. 4/5 ⭐

I actually really loved the book. It was cute, witchy, love/hate and the story from dual POV was awesome.

Aria - a witch who's not capable of witch-ing. She moved away from her hometown because she was the "joke" of the town due to her lack of being able to witch properly. Aria is called back home to compete in a competition, which she obviously believes she will fail! But her grandmother refuses to believe it.

Callan - a successful business mage, who believes himself to be the most powerful mage/witch in the world. Also, he's very rich! Anyway, he's come back to Aria's hometown to compete in the competition as well. And - he's VERY attractive.

So, they're both here in Charming Cove competing in this competition - both for different reasons. Now, they met years ago when Aria was 17 and he done something that she couldn't forgive and now hates him. He on the other hand couldn't stop thinking about her. So Aria being there for him is a chance for him to steal her over and convince her that he's amazing! She, does not reciprocate the feeling and still despises him. They've both been paired together for this competition, so they HAVE to work together - to Aria's dismay. But that's not to say she doesn't change her mind, right?!

Aria is such a willful character that I just loved her. Her lack of confidence in herself is relatable for so many reasons, but actually with a little push she's capable of big things. The book has dual POV which is always a win for me, I like being able to see in the minds of all those in the book - it doesn't love me with unanswered questions!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnie Doon Press for allowing me to read this ARC sampler - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

The cozy magic genre done right. This story has plants, potions, strong female friendships, a bit of romance, a sarcastic badger, and a main character, Aria, who struggles with her magic. The takeaway is that our superpower may not look like everyone else’s, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t powerful. This was such a fun and charming read. It made me laugh out loud several times. It definitely has some Harry Potter vibes with a dash of romance mixed in. I found myself wishing I had Aria’s specific powers (and living in her charming waterfront cottage). If you’re looking for a cozy read about a woman discovering her magic, definitely check this one out.

🫖 ARC Review 🫖

📚 ”The Modern Girl’s Guide to Magic” by Linsey Hall 📚

After years of avoiding her past and her magic, Aria returns to Charming Cove for a competition to win the local Garden of Enchantment. Unfortunately/Fortunately, she finds that a man she despises more than anything is competing against her. Throughout the challenges, the two grow closer and discover that the garden might not be the only thing they’d like to win over.

I loved this story, while the romance wasn’t the focal point of the story, I found it to be lovely. I appreciated Aria’s character growth as she discovered herself and how Callan understood what was best in the end.

ALSO, Boris is a hilarious character who deserves all the bacon sandwiches in the world 🥓 I honestly really want to read a romance with Tabitha as well because I loved her and Catrina’s characters.

✨ Included Tropes ✨
- Dual POV
- Second Chance
- Outcast x Billionaire
- Enemies to Lovers
- Small Town
- One Bed
- Small Age Gap

✨ Ratings out of 5✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️ - spice once without details

🗓️ Release Date: June 2, 2023

What a fun read! I will be honest; I did judge a book by its cover, and I loved it! Think of the romance of Twilight mixed in with a little bit of Hogwarts. The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic is a delightful story filled with romance, magic, and competition. We meet Aria, a witch who never seemed to be able to get the hang of magic and left home to start a new life in London. Years and several disastrous magic mishaps later, she is called back to Charming Cove to save her family's potion shop by competing for the Garden of Enchantment. But can a witch whose magic is wonky and unpredictable stand a chance competing against some of the most powerful in the magic world to save the day?

We also meet Callan, a handsome mage who possesses not only the strongest of magical abilities but also immense wealth. Oh, did I forget to mention that he's a billionaire? He also has his eye on the same prize! These two characters have a history, and it's not all good. As they find themselves contending for the prize, their past resurfaces, and tension builds.

In this delightful rom-com, you will fall in love with Charming Cove and all its characters. I can't wait to read the second book in the series!

Thank you Netgalley, the author Linsey Hall, and the publishers for allowing me an advance copy to read in exchange for my honest review.

This book is pure magic! It made me laugh, smile, and root for the underdog. It was such a light read with such a sweet romance progressing throughout the story! Oh and I can't forget about Boris! He definitely is a key part of the book!

This book was so cozily adorable with the right dusting/sprinkling of spice. First of all I need Boris merch. That badger has my entire heart now. He's so adorable even tho I'm sure he'd maul my face but maybe I could trade him food for pets? Also the romance in this book was the right slow build and I loved every second of it.

I really liked how there was underlying themes of self acceptance, finding yourself and never giving up. That family is there to help when we need it as well. This book defn gets all the stars from me .

3* A book about magic, finding your strength and cooperation.

Aria feels like a failure, she's lost her job again and her home with it.
As soon as she gets there to look for a new job, she finds her gran waiting for her, who gets her to agree to come back to Charming Cove, her native home, to enter a competition to save their potions shop.
Aria is a witch who seems to be unable to use her powers: no matter how hard or how long she tries; she grew up getting emarginated and bullied, which are the reasons which led her to leave her beloved Charming cove and her loving family to try her luck in London.
Now she has to get back and couldn't feel worse, except when discovering the charming Callan Hawtorne, the most handsome mage alive which she got infatuated with years ago, will be against her in the competition...

The modern girl's guide to magic is nicely written and it's not a bad story, only it felt kind of naive and not too original.
There was no real threat if not Aria own limits which "magically" got solved with a chat and an intuition...
There are some nice moment between Aria and Callan but I felt no real challange against their relationship either... and why do authors seem fixed on male forearm?
The one good thing about the book is the way the characters gets to cooperate and work together to get to the result, but it didn't feel enough... I also really liked Catrina's character, she's a real force of the nature.
I would still recommend it to someone looking for an easy magical read.

Thank you NetGalley and Bonnie Doon Press for providing this book as an ARC in exchange of an honest review.

The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic was the perfect Summer read!

Aria is a self proclaimed "magical disaster", drawn back to her home in Charming Cove to take part in a competition to win a huge magical fortune. Whilst competing, she must reckon with Callan, a billionare mage who also happens to be her enemy, alongside her own magical problems. The romance is sweet and funny, wrapped in a whimsical world of magical plants and talking animals.

If you want a light-hearted book that will make you smile, then this is the one for you!

This has everything that you could possibly want in a witchy romance book, enemies to lovers and a marvellous familiar! I loved this and really hope there will be some sort of sequel to it as it was fabulous from start to finish!

A sweet rom-com! i read this pretty quickly and enjoyed it, cant wait for the next installments in this series

3.75 stars

One of the main reasons that I picked up this book was its cover. Then I read the summary and I wanted to read it even more. The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic is a cute and cosy, low-stakes fantasy set in a quaint little village. It involves a competition to inherit a magical garden. The main character, Aria has out-of-control magic which has caused many incidents. She wants to inherit this garden so that she can save her family's potion shop. I actually really liked Aria's character; she is the perfect representation of quirkiness, but also hope and determination. Callan was a pretty interesting character too; I liked his sense of humor and his willingness to do things for Aria. What weirded me out a little bit was the part where the age gap between Aria and Callam was revealed. It made things kind of awkward to read about and though Aria was a grown adult when they meet again, that age difference at their first meeting really affected my reading of the rest of the book.

Otherwise, this is a really cute fantasy with romance that is well done.

(if you're able to look past that strange age-gap that is.)

I really wanted to like this but unfortunately, I DNF'd it. I just don't think this book was for me. It had quite a slow start and that is possibly why I couldn't get into it. The book read more YA than adult and I think that could have contributed to why I could not get into it. I'm not opposed to giving it another try down the line but for now I had to put it down.

This is a really great book for people who are just wanting to dip their toe into fantasy/magical type books. It is an urban fantasy (so real world but with a little magic), but the magic aspect is kept to a minimum. You don't have to understand a whole new world and magical rules. All in all I think it was really well done. It was just a fun little book that made me smile. So I found l count that as a win.

The Modern Girl’s Guide to Magic
🌕🌕🌕🌗/5

Summary:
Aria is a with “wonky” powers. As much as she tries to control it she just can’t help creating magical disasters. She left her magical seaside village of Charming Cove and never looked back, that is until her Grandmother lures her back to save her family’s shop and town before everything is lost.
Aria finds out she has been selected to compete for keeper of The Garden of Enchantment. A dream she can’t afford to lose. Enter Callan Hawthorne, billionaire, powerful mage and enemy and unfortunately Callan is a competitor too. Aria is determined to win and get even.
The only problem is the two have a definite magnetism between them and they must work together to fix her magic and succeed in the competition.

What I Liked:
🦡 This book has the most humorous magical familiar I’ve ever met. Boris, Aria’s badger and frenemy is full of spunk…
“Wake up sleepyhead. It’s time to work.”
“Work? You must be joking.”
“Well, you’re working today. Now come on.” I pick him up and he thrashes in my arms,
“Put me down now! Kidnapping!”

🦡 The characters are charming. Aria is funny, caring and at times a force to be reckoned with! Catrina is brilliant, imaginative.
🦡 Although the magical system isn’t complex there are certainly some unique creatures and adventures to enjoy.
🦡 The pace was steady so I was enticed.
🦡 Perfect read for late teen romance and up

Improvements:
🦡 The storyline was a little predictable. A few darker antagonists would be helpful.
🦡 I was hoping the female lead would be more confident. She blames herself too much.
🦡 A little less banter. Not necessary to keep the main plot going strong.
🦡 Aria and Callan’s enemy to lovers wasn’t as complex as I expected.

I recommend this book if you are looking for a light, romantic magical fantasy.
It really will make you laugh. What a joyful read.

Thank you to NetGalley & Bonnie Doon Press for the opportunity to review this eARC.

Plants. Witches. Romance. A talking badger. This book has every ingredient of a witchy romcom! I cannot even begin to describe how much I enjoyed reading The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic. This adorable, witchy story feels like one big hug that immerses you the cozy world of witches and magic and I didn't want to leave. I found myself laughing out loud at times while slightly tearful at others. If you are a fan of enemies to lovers and low stakes, cozy fantasy, you definitely do not want to miss this one.

I will absolutely be buying a physical copy of this book and will be returning to it for a cozy, (probably annual) autumn read.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bonnie Doon Press for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was given an Arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I absolutely loved this book and I read it in one day!

It was so cute and such a great feel good book! While it was a romance I didn’t feel like the romance took over the plot it was a great mixture of both!

This was witchy community, reconnecting with family, a competition and a gorgeous man! Who could ask for a better combination in a book?

5/5 stars for me and I will be buying a physical copy for my shelf!

This was a really fun cozy fantasy. Perfect for someone who loves fantasy, but needs something lighter... the most drama you'll encounter is a herd of bewitched goats terrorizing a town's gardens.

Tropes + Themes:
- Magical Competition
- Enemies to Lovers
- Fantastical creatures
- Reluctant Hero

All the #plantmom things were a delight as someone who collects plants herself. I loved the world building and all the fantastical creatures, and could really picture Charming Cove as I read.

There is one spicy scene in this book, and it's brief... almost too brief. Not that a sex scene needs to be dragged out, but it felt so short and out of place that I honestly could have done without it and been fine. I think the impact on the characters would have been the same without the sex scene thrown in. I also think it felt that scene was a little too adult and heavy compared to the rest of the cozy fantasy features throughout the book.

Aria's hesitation and morale dilemma about falling for Callan seemed genuine and believable. But Callan's quick fall for Aria read as disingenuous and fake... the small snippets we got from his perspective just seemed a little TOO over the top.

Loved it! This was such a cute easy read for me. Anything with witches is always a winner for me! But it was Boris the badger that stole the lime light. I found myself laughing out loud whenever Boris was talking- who'd of thought a badger could be so funny!

I received this ecopy from netgalley, so thank you to them and for the publishers for this copy. I will definitely be adding future books to my wishlist.

Adorable, funny, and magical. I finished this one in one sunny afternoon. If you love magic, witches, foul-mouthed familiars, and a little bit of romance, then you should definitely read this book. Highly recommend.

I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.

A delightfully quirky, paranormal rom-com, with a wonky witch, and a masterful mage. It’s paranormal rom-com done right, with cute kids and badgers, as well as a charming village (appropriately named Charming Cove) filled with quirky characters.
This is an enjoyable, and lighthearted tale, that makes for an enchanting beach read designed to be the perfect distraction. There are no cliffhangers, no real loose ends, and there is a lovely happy ending for all involved.
An enthralling read for the paranormal romance lovers out there.