Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this audiobook. This was souch fun! I would say this was more of a cozy mystery with a bit of magic. It wasn't quite what I expected but it was quite lovely. I would highly recommend

Beautiful. I really love magical stories. This really was beautifully written. I enjoyed this from start to finish. Thanks to the publishers and netgalley.

This is one of those book where I fell for the cover :)
Luckily the story was good and I enjoyed listening to it.
If you like stories about family and finding yourself mixed with some magic and smal town vibes this is a book for you.

This one was fun, I loved the house being alive and sending them. I love the old southern charm to this book and truly connected with the characters. The narrator did a fantastic job and I really enjoyed it.

In a way, this story resembles "Everyday Magic", only there is no murder and no evil spirit here.
The Russell women are special, each with their own magical streak, and in their small town there are those who appreciate their abilities and those who fear them.
Mattie's mother left her family before she was born, but soon came back with her and sometimes left her there for summer vacations. Mattie was so used to them traveling all the time and never having much that she had to sell her pictures to help her mother make money. She's used to fending for herself and she doesn't want to bury himself in a small town.
But when her mother suddenly dies, she has to go back, and then she receives tasks from her mother that she must complete in order to get the money she left her.
At first it seems that these tasks are silly - plant certain flowers in the garden, take part in a joint event, make someone happy, push someone on a new path, remind someone of something they have forgotten, etc. She doesn't see a way to fulfill them, but strangely, when she completes the first task, she stumbles upon the next opportunity, and the next ones aren't far off either.
And it wouldn't be a magical romance if there wasn't a young man in the middle of it all, who is just as reluctant to be in this small town, but he also has to be with his family right then. They have a shared past from when Mattie still spent summers with the family, which causes some problems until they start doing Mattie's tasks together.
So it is that Mattie is painting and doing errands left by her mother and reminiscing about past summers at Ivy Ridge, and time is getting closer and closer to the deadline she set for herself as she planned to leave. But will she go and will finding her father change her life forever?

A good book, maybe too much of a small talk, but an easy listen for sure.

I rated this book a 3.5 stars

This was a sweet story, but not quite as magical or deep as I was expecting.

This book would be perfect for someone looking for a cozy mystery with a bit of Southern charm, magical realism, and meddling family members.

🦜 The Magic All Around by Jennifer Moorman 🦜

“Once you start listening to the Nothing, there’s a lot of life in that too.”

At its heart, this was a story about the love of a family of women, appreciation for a sweet small town, and the trope of a small town romance. Within the story, there is a tiny bit of magic sewn in (pun intended). The magic is treated more like a funny little coincidence so its details aren’t really explored all that much. But the focus is certainly more on Mattie and her journey of self-discovery after the sudden death of her mother. It was a very cute story. Despite some of its cliches, it held my attention and made for a light, easy listen with a little bit of charm.

3.5 stars

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

The Magic All Around gave me all the warm fuzzies. Jennifer Moorman intertwines characters previously featured in her other books which adds to the "small town" charm of Ivy Ridge. The book had a compelling plot and heartwarming, quirky characters, especially the house. Moorman does magical realism in such a fun way--its sprinkled in throughout the book and it doesn't detracted or distracted from the story.

The narration by Kathleen McInerney was absolutely wonderful.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC and to Jennifer Moorman for sharing her stories of Ivy Ridge with the world.

While this story centers around themes of grief, I thought The Magic All Around was a delightful read, and I loved the narration by Kathleen McInerney. She pulled me right into the storytelling, and it was so cozy.

*many thanks to Harper and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

A fun light-hearted story about a magical family at a time of grief. Yes that’s right, light-hearted even though our plot revolves heavily around a time of grief for the Russell family.

Mattie Russell and her mother Lilith live a nomadic life, never staying in one spot too long. When Mattie’s mother dies, Mattie returns to Ivy Ridge to stay with her remaining family. Everyone in this family has a ‘gift’ - more whimsical than Harry-Porter-esque magic. Mattie can’t wait to leave Ivy Ridge but she learns there is an inheritance waiting for her at the end of a long bucket list that requires her to stay in Ivy Ridge in order to complete it.

As Mattie completes the list we explore themes of grief, family ties, finding one self and love.

I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook

An amazing, heartbreaking story full of magical realism! I loved this book in audio format and highly recommend.

An inheritance that is so much more than money. Never having known a stable life, Mattie is about to find the one thing she didn't know she needed. A fun and sweet book about finding love and family. Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had to DNF this book. Magical Realism is hit or miss with me, and this one was definitely a miss, but that doesn't mean that other might not enjoy it for those who love this genre.

Thank you to my partners, WunderBooks PR, Harper Muse Books, and NetGalley, and the author. I appreciate the gifted paperback and audiobook. I am leaving this review voluntarily!

1. 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 - This magical and beautiful story is told in such a way as to make the reader fall in love with the Russell family. Everything about them is exquisitely detailed from beginning to end.

2. 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 - Just everything…this book just did everything for me. It’s one of those reads that just has a sense of fervor throughout. Happiness mixed with sadness mixed with uncertainty. But all rolled into a ball of enchantment.

3. 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐢𝐫 - The extent of heartfelt adoration that abounds in this story is insurmountable. Every storyline has the passion jumping off of the pages right into the heart of the reader.

4. 𝐀 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐬 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 - Houses don’t quite have the force that the Russell house has here as it helps to guide the family, but I do feel like houses have an energy. In a sense, the spirits of previous inhabitants live within the bones of a house.

5. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐬 𝐀 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡 - Fate is an inevitable power that pushes everyone to their destination. Whether or not that path is accepted is the question. In our story, Mattie has a choice to make and that choice will set up the outcome of her life. The reader becomes enthralled in the possibilities that await.

Jennifer Moorman's The Magic All Around is a reminder to look for the magic in everyday life. It is all around us, if we just remember to take a moment and see it! Maddie has spent her life traveling with her mom, who dies and leaves her adrift. She returns home to Ivy Ridge, where her family is. Everyone has always said that her family is a bit odd, but not in a bad way. See why with Maddie, as she also learns her mom leaves her a list of tasks to accomplish in order to receive her inheritance. A fun story with a good meaning. It will make you smile and laugh and give you a good heart feeling! Hope you enjoy!

Dear The Magic All Around,
I think the best word for me to describe you is "cute". I don't mean it in a derogatory sense, you just didn't have a ton of significance or emotional impact for me, despite being heavily centered on loss and grief. You were better then brain candy, and had more substance then a Hallmark movie, and I loved the quirks of the house. I honestly wished the house had a name; it would have given it a bit more character and life for me. I liked Mattie and Penelope well enough. They were just cookie cutter. You were what would happen if Charmed did a rom-com episode.

After suddenly losing her mom, Mattie finds herself lost. She is used to life on the road, exploring new places. Now the mom that kept her moving all her life, seems to want her to stay in the family home her mom had abandoned so many years before in order to appease her inheritance stipulations. While learning about her family and their community, Mattie has a chance to find herself and maybe a bit of magic along the way.

This was such a tragic, yet heartwarming read. The audiobook truly captured the emotion of this journey of self discovery!

Loved this book and the magic that has been infused into its pages. I honestly loved the house, it made me what to live there. A very fun listen that I cruised through quickly. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to have a listen. 🫶

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
What a lovely book. Well written and thought out. Great narration. I absolutely loved this book.