Remedial Magic felt different from Melissa Marr's other books, but not in a negative way. I enjoyed the experience of reading the book, and I felt like I could connect with the characters.

Beautiful cover and fun concept, just couldn't connect. Writing felt a touch juvenile and I didn't connect to the characters. Wasn't not drawn in immediately from the opening chapters - looking for inciting incident earlier.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing company for this Digital Advanced Readers Copy! I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I didn’t get to Remedial Magic before it’s publishing date. However now that I have read it I gave it two stars. Wasn’t a fan.

To be honest, I toyed with DNFing this one, but it held my attention enough to keep going.

I did like the main and that she was a librarian and a mom.

But overall the story was a bit of a mess and it was just okay for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to like this one, but it just wasn't for me. I think others will like it, but I just couldn't get into it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it to others.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

This book suffers from not quite knowing what it's trying to be. In trying to fit into several genres and be part of a series (duology? I don't remember), it struggles to contain a full story within this book and really just ends up feeling half finished. I think part of that comes from trying to include SO many perspectives and not really getting a chance to know any of the characters all that well - which contributes to the fact that I didn't really believe any of the romances because we saw so little development. Add in the Harry Potter reference (in a queer book in 2024?!), and the valid concerns others have brought up about some elements feeling ableist, I don't know that I'm willing to give the next book a read without knowing that the ableism is addressed and that it really wraps up strong enough to make the weirdness (and weakness) of this book worth it.

Dnf at 31% (chapter 17)

Even after reframing expectations that this would be more of an ensemble cast sort of situation, and not the cozy sapphic fantasy expected, there was still too much that didn’t sit well with me.

A would-have-been-fatal drug overdose casually dropped into conversation, and magically cured cancer that only stays cured if you do as you’re told because you’re just a host for magic gave me the double ick

The big one I couldn’t get past was when Maggie went from desperate to get to her son and ensure his safety to being totally chill with someone else checking in on him later and banging it out with the headmaster. Like, that was … a choice.

I’m disappointed because I had been very excited for this book, but I feel like it barely resembles how it was described.


Initial thoughts -

Crenshaw is a safe haven for witches, until one of them causes a rift.
It’s also the home to the College of Remedial Magic - headmaster Sondre bringing people there after any emergence of latent magical traits. A panel will decide if they are allowed to stay and learn or if they’ll have their magic siphoned away and be returned to the normal world.

There’s Ellie - a librarian, carrying for her aunt Hestia who she worries will disappear on her again. Her main hobby seems to be researching missing people - interesting people, like her aunt, are the ones who go missing so she’s made it a life’s goal to be aggressively average.
At least until a mysterious woman named Prospero visits her at the library, leaving her stunned on the floor after a single kiss.

Then there’s Maggie, who is scared her ex is going to take their son Craig away. When her sabotaged car is in a wreck, she pushes a protective bubble of magic over her son leading to her being brought her to Crenshaw.

Daniel has also been brought to Crenshaw, but after using magic to slow his fall during a hiking accident. He wakes in the school’s infirmary, cancer cured (but not so much progress on his gambling problem)


Thanks for the arc opportunity Bramble

I feel a little bad because I didn't actually finish the book. I got to around 60% and just stopped. I didn't care enough to finish. The characters were just a bit everywhere for me. The world was messy which seemed to be purposeful but I couldn't get behind it. It was kinda a letdown for me.

Did not finish. What even was this book? It was so convoluted and bizarre, but not in the quirky way I usually enjoy. It pains my Regency fantasy-loving heart to say this, but I’d recommend skipping this one.

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

Nope, this was not for me. I even let a coworker read it and she couldn't get through the first quarter of the book. I think this book will find it's perfect audience but I have a hard time recommending it based on plot and poor writing.

This book was a mess!! Everything happened so fast that you couldn't really keep track of anything and the characters were all over the place. If you think this is a cozy fantasy romance you would be wrong. It is an extremely fast paced high fantasy where you have no clue whats going on. Because the story never gives you time to breathe.

dnf. what even was this book? it was so convoluted and weird, and not in the good way I typically enjoy. It hurts my regency fantasy heart to tell you all to just skip this one.

Melissa Marr sets up a conflict that you want to see resolved in Remedial Magic. The premise is fairly simple – magic is real, witches live in a city hidden from mundanes but there is an ecological disaster happening, threatening said city.

We follow four new witches as they decide whether or not to stay in the city and older residents as
motives are explored, and potential relationships (both gay and straight) develop in fits and starts. The point of view shifts between characters with each chapter so we get to know all main characters. The ending is a real cliffhanger and I will be looking for the next book!

Recommended for older teens and up. I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my
unbiased opinion.

If you loved The Magicians series by Lev Grossman and juggling multiple story lines doesn't bother you pick up Remedial Magic. The novel starts out in the magical town of Crenshaw, a place of learning for witches. A witch has done something bad and unleashed some ooze like stuff.
Chapter one set in Ligonier, North Carolina, Ellie is a librarian who wonders if anyone would miss her if she disappears. Her hobby is investigating the mysterious disappearance happening in the area. She has a lot of anxiety and what she feels is a boring life. When she meets an exciting lady who she is instantly attracted too. The woman Prospero is a witch from Crenshaw who believes Ellie is key to saving her home.
Other people face life threatening situations, like a car crash, and have their witchiness awakened. After which they are whisked away to Crenshaw and taught how to use their powers. They have their own story lines to follow that further reveal the issues facing Crenshaw and its history. But by far the most interesting storyline is the love story of Ellie and Prospero. This might have to do with the author being inspired by her wife.

I had a fantastic time reading this book! I've really enjoyed all of Melissa Marr's writing, and I think this is her first book for adults. That this is a portal fantasy with lesbian witches? Yeah, sign me up, it was such an engaging story!

From the prologue, we have a witch who acted badly, and was most likely the reason behind things going wrong now. I wanted to know who it was, and what they did exactly. And if along the way of fixing things, would the witches learn the true value of the Hobs?

Ellie wanted to be as uninteresting as possible. Her aunt, the most important person in her life, was interesting, and then she disappeared for a while, so Ellie tries her best to be as ordinary and normal as possible. But she's not, she has magic!

This world of magic, and the set up, was really interesting, that they were brought to this land, and taught magic. And if you got to stay, you got to keep your magic, and if you left, you lost it. When you add in some unsavoury characters and a land that is breaking down, well, I had to keep reading!

Loved reading this book and I can't wait for more!

I was pretty disappointed in this - definitely didn't meet my expectations. I was looking forward to reading a new Melissa Marr book - it's been awhile since I've read one by her, and I was a little excited. But I struggled. I was expecting more of a cozy fantasy romance with the way the book was marketed, and I struggled to keep the numerous POVs straight. I'm bummed this didn't meet my expectations, and I don't know if I'll continue with the series.