DNF @30%

If you want something quick, easy and cheesy, then you'll probably enjoy this. I just didn't care about the characters and didn't think they had any chemistry.

4/5

This book was a fun romp with a different take on magic and characters, if you liked the ex hex this is up you’re alley for sure.

The story of Arya who’s really messed up her magic her whole life and comes home to the town she’s abandoned at her grandmas request. When a love interest turned enemy returns, and a challenge commences can she overcome to win it all?

It was a light easy plane read to distract from all the disasters of the world. Will read more in the series for sure.

This book was definitely not what I expected… Maybe I am not a “modern girl?” I give kudos and points to the author for a unique, interesting premise, but I had a hard time finishing this… It didn’t hold my interest.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A cozy and cute paranormal witchy romance! Will definitely be re reading this in October for the witchy vibes

This was an easy and cute read! Although marketed as enemies-to-lovers based on a past misunderstanding, the romance felt more like insta-lust due to how quickly the main characters got together. I would have preferred more development in this area since this is a romance but the plot focused more on developing the storyline.

Our main characters are in a rivals in a magical competition, the female main character in it to save her family store and the male main character essentially for fun to bring more recognition to his company, which he really doesn't need if he made his fortune in the four years since they last saw each other. I'm sure his billionaire status does not need help from this game, so I'm not convinced by his motivation.

The competition focused around plant magic, but the competitors were allowed to support each other, so I was also not sure what kind of competition this was when one character was clearly carrying the entire game. The conflict of the book also was rather stressless so I didn't feel any impending issues at any point, and was a little let down at the unraveling of the story.

It felt like the standard happenings of a magical person's life. Nothing too exciting, but if you come in with base expectations, it should be an easy 3 star read.

📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚 The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic by Linsey Hall

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️
Length: 316

Aria's a bit of a magical disaster. A witch by bloodline alone. It's exactly why she's sworn off magic and left her hometown for good. That is until her Gran comes along claiming she's the only one who can save the family business.

Aria reluctantly heads home to help but her old flame, a man she now hates, happens to be back for the exact same reason: enter the local competition to win the largest magical fortune in England. Will she win and save the family business or will Callan get the best of her again?

This was such a cute and whimsical read! It was different than most of my fantasy and witchy books and that it didn't have any darker undertones. It was all light and fluffy and just super enjoyable.

It was fun watching Aria grow as a witch and as a member of the family. I loved her niece Catrina, she was such a cute and strong personality. And when Boris, Aria's animal familiar, was on the page he stole the show.

I definitely recommend this if you're looking for a light, witchy read. It would be great as a pallet cleanser after a heavy or long book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for allowing me to read and review the ARC!

Available now in paperback, ebook, audiobook, and FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

This book is way different than the other books I have read from Linsey. While it was enjoyable to read I found the adventure lacking. Linsey Hall is still one of my favorite Kindle Unlimited authors so I will continue to read everything she writes, I just wish there was more action and that the series was actually a series and not a series of books in the same place...

Aria is a magical disaster. Unlike her magic-wielding friends and family, she cannot seem to do simple magic without it ending it catastrophe. Her only saving grace is her connection to plants, which seem to thrive in her company.

Defeated, Aria moves to London and unsuccessfully works a string of mundane jobs. Until one evening when she gets an unexpected visit from her dear Gran who explains that her hometown’s enchanted garden is up for grabs as the current owner, Mr Sparrow will be stepping down from his role and passing it on to someone young and capable. To choose this new owner, a competition will take place. Aria knows that her Gran’s magic shop relies on that garden as its main source of produce and ingredients. Without it, their livelihood would be in jeopardy.

Aria reluctantly agrees to join the competition in order to save her family’s magic shop, only Gran left out the part where she’ll be competing against not only her high school bullies but Callan Hawthorne; The arrogant, playboy billionaire mage that destroyed the sacred space she shared with her Grandfather’s spirit.

This was pure joy from beginning to end. I fell in love with Charming Cove, the seaside town full of friendly, magical folk. The characters, including side characters were fully developed and charismatic. I particularly liked Boris the badger (Aria’s animal familiar with a lust for bacon sandwiches.) The story had scatterings of cheeky humour throughout and was an altogether wholesome witchy romance.

This was a fun read! I liked the unique story of a hidden magical village. Reminded me of Harry Potter and all the secrets hidden from muggles. I loved Aria’s relationship with her Gran and her best friend Tabitha 😭 the love they all had for one another had me in my feels. Don’t even get me started on my bestie Boris! I want that little badger so bad 😫he is the goofiest and funniest little fur ball.
Aria coming into her magic was super heart warming. As someone who grew up feeling like an outsider and struggled to fit in, this hit home. I liked this book a lot it was a fun read the romance however was eh. I loved the interactions between Aria and Callan they were cute but when it came to the moments where their relationship was advancing those moments always felt rushed. Loved everything else tho! The competition for the garden was interesting and fun. I’d recommend!

I’ve posted this review on Goodreads, Instagram and Amazon.
The review is live as of today June 11, 2023

★2/5

thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. ♡

“That you look like sunrise after a decade of darkness.” — this quote had me swooning.

this book gives all the cosy witchy plant vibes you could ask for. a unique story nonetheless perfect for a palette cleanser or fun witchy moments with some adventure. i really liked Boris, the talking badger familiar, he was the only thing that really carried the story for me.

i felt like the story lacked in character depth and the mmc insta love just wasn’t for me. it could be fairly repetitive and the ending felt too rushed. this almost didn’t even read as a romance novel more along the lines of a comedic adventure with a hint of a love interest mixed in.

Updated from 3 to 4 stars because I can't stop thinking about this book. The story was so cute.

This was the coziest of romance novels with a sprinkle of magic. I loved the relationships the female main character had not only with the male main character, but with her family and everyone she encountered as well. She was so sweet and likable.
The misunderstanding part of this was a little weak and the ending felt a bit rushed, but overall this was a really cute read.

Favorite quote: You look like a sunrise after a decade of darkness. 🥺


Note: My review is posted to Goodreads already. I do not have a blog or other socials.

A cozy, magical romance set in the (ahem!) charming town of Charming Cove, secretly home to many of England’s witches.

Aria has never been able to control her magic, but now she has to come home to Charming Cove to compete to inherit the town’s magical gardens – and save her family’s magic shop. Oh, and she hates Callan Hawthorne. Callan is the wealthiest – and most powerful – mage in Britain, and he wants to win the garden to make it the jewel of his real estate empire. Coming back to Charming Cove to see Aria, the alluring witch he can’t stop thinking about after meeting her years before, of course has nothing to do with it. Not at all!

[book:The Modern Girl’s Guide to Magic] is sweet, fairly light on conflict, and delightfully full of fascinating magical plants and animals. Aria pretty quickly gets over her anger at Callan and the two rather quickly fall for one another. Being competitors for the garden is only a minor obstacle to the expected romantic conclusion.

[book:The Modern Girl’s Guide to Magic] by [author:Linsey Hall]
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️💫 3.5 stars rounded up
🌶️🌶️ Magical undressing, but not magical birth control
🦡🥞 Boris the badger familiar was the best character in this book
🌱🌳🌻🪻 Can’t hate a story about a plant witch
🤷🏻‍♂️ One of these times, I’d like the dude to be the hot mess who doesn’t know how to use his magic

<i>Thanks to NetGalley and Bonnie Doon Press a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.</i>

What a really cute frenemy romance with oodles of magic thrown in! As the start of a series, I’m eager to check out where this takes us.

Aria has always had issues with her magic. This means she was constantly bullied in her hometown by other more magically adept folks. Eager to get a fresh start, she tried living as a normal person, but ironically her magic ended up showing up in unexpected ways, leading to her getting fired repeatedly. Lucky for her, the local owner of a magical garden has decided to host a competition to identify his successor and Aria got an invite!

Callan, her crush/enemy from their teenage years, is also on the invite list. He’s now a successful developer and accomplished mage, but he still yearns to right the wrongs from before. While this book doesn’t jump right into bed, we get a nice slow burn with some payoff along the way. I loved everything about this town the wild cast of characters, the magic, and (of course) the romance. There are a few twists but luckily we don’t go too far into the “misunderstanding” trope that usually comes along with a romantic paranormal read. This couple was cute and the magic was irresistible!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

Aria is a witch whose powers have always been a little...wonky. When she's chosen for a contest to own a prestigious garden in her hometown, she returns home to compete to win. The biggest problem? Her nemesis, Callan, is also a competitor.

This is a cute little book. I enjoyed it. It's a perfect summer read with a little magic and romance and is just a nice, smooth, fun read. I don't usually enjoy cozy books because I find they can be too saccharine or cutesy, bur this finds the right balance of cute and sweet without being overpowering.

Thank you Netgalley for gifting me a copy of this book.

I had such a great time reading this book. It was very easy to get into, the characters were adorable (I loved Boris' personality), and the story was sweet.

The competition aspect reminded me of Payback's a Witch by Lana Harper (which I loved) and the love for plants and nature reminded me of This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron (which I also loved).

It was entertaining, had short chapters (a great bonus), and made me want to read more books set in this world. I would 100% recommend it.

Fantastic Summer Read! "Modern Girl's Guide to Magic" is a fresh take on a popular and timeless theme. The protagonist is every female who has tried to meet expectations and been met with roadblocks. Those roadblocks get toppled and a new power emerges. This is a must read for anyone who loves the idea of magic and overcoming your own obstacles.

This book was not what I expected. I don't know if the title fits well to the plot, a lot of the plot points seemed really unnecessary, most side characters were really one note, and the romantic interest didn't have much going on other than being hot, rich, and in love with the main character. We got very few POVs from his perspective so it felt like what's the point? This book was not for me.

This book was so good!! I couldn't put it down! This grabbed me from the start and I was spellbound until the end. I can't wait for the next book in the series!
I just reviewed The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic by Linsey Hall. #TheModernGirlsGuidetoMagic #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

Thank you, NetGalley, Bonnie Doon Press, and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, for the chance to read and review The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic by Linsey Hall!

The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic is a romantic comedy that came out on the 2nd of June. It is available for free to subscribers of Kindle Unlimited but can also be purchased for $4.99.

The author, Linsey Hall, knows what works for her audience. Charming Cove is her 7th series, with How to Fake-Date a Vampire, the next book after The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic. Each of her series is geared toward a different kind of romance reader, which is why it looks like the next book will also be a rom-com.

This is why it shouldn't surprise you that this book has all the tropes! Aria, our main character, is tiny but very powerful (with rare abilities) and familiar with a lot of personality. Callan is rich, good-looking, with some daddy issues, but has a heart of gold, and is very powerful. They share a bed. They are forced to work together.

All in all, it was perfect for a Hallmark movie book. Aria comes into her abilities very quickly after meeting the other plant witch, while feels like a bit of a cop-out; a better story would have had her deal with her magic being a bit wonky and still being okay. Everything is wrapped up nicely, and we should love that Callan makes dumb business decisions.

However, it also fell kinda flat, if that makes sense? There wasn't much substance to it and it is a bit unmemorable

Stars: 3.5/5.

I really thought I would like this but I expected more spice. The premise is great and would be a good intro book into romance or for readers who want something a little lighter. The setting was great and I did enjoy the characters!
Thank you to Netgalley for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review.