Looking for a cozy, wholesome, light fantasy with witches, a circus, a bustling tearoom, sentient house, & sassy cat? Well do I have the book for you!

The Quigley triplets Anne, Beatrix & Violet know what they like: their sentient home, which doubles as their tearoom & each other. They have a routine, they stick to the status quo, at least that’s what they let each other, including themselves, believe. But things quickly get shaken up when their shop is threatened & it turns out more than their home is at stake.

I started this on kindle, but switched to kindle/audio early on, before going all in on the audio. I have been struggling with audio lately but this one was so good! The second half had some pretty slow moments and the storyline felt a bit stagnant, but the narrator did a really great job of keeping me enthralled the entire time. This is a case of feeling like I might have had a different rating if I had read in a different format.

For being a low-stake, low-fantasy read, there really was a lot going on in this book. But at it’s core, the story highlighted the importance of familial bonds, but that self-discovery & development is equally, if not more, important. That just because something has always been a certain, doesn’t mean that things won’t be better with growth & change. & of course, with 3 sisters, you have 3 varying situations with 3 different attitudes & feelings about this. I will say I definitely got irritated with ~one~ of them in particular, but it was her coping mechanism & I appreciated seeing how each of them handled their situations in different ways.

I do wish we had a little more world building. Although set in Chicago, I felt like the world surrounding the witches was a bit underdeveloped. The Quigley sisters don’t live in the witch neighborhood, but also I don’t think the habitants of Chi-Town are aware there is a coven in the city. I also didn’t quite grasp the importance of The Council – other than as an easy way to move the plot forward. There were definitely several times that something was explained after the fact, making it feel more tell than show.

Bottom Line: I really enjoyed this one! I think there were some elements that could have been developed a bit more, but I was able to overlook this, because the core of the story was solid & just so lovely. Its cozy, low-stakes, no-stress, This was the author’s debut novel & while it definitely felt like it, I really enjoyed the writing & am looking forward to reading her future work!

The beginning was good. It felt really cozy and interesting.

But my issue was that as it went on....this became nothing but my least favorite trope.
It was just the sisters hiding and lying to one another and not communicating.

It lost its cozy factor real fast after that.

I thought I would share a couple of suggestions for anyone looking for something with seasonal flair, but easy on the scares. KJ Dell’Antonia’s Playing the Witch Card and Stacy Sivinski’s The Crescent Moon Tearoom deliver cozy fall vibes with some witchy magic.

Playing the Witch Card —

Flair Hardwicke may have turned her back on magic years ago, but magic isn’t done with her yet. Flair flees, from a philandering husband, with her daughter, to start over in the hometown she left behind. Rattleboro is a bit Star Hollow, only with magic, and the town is about to celebrate the annual Halloween Trail, under a Black Moon. Things are getting stranger by the minute, but when Flair’s batch of tarot shaped cookies start influencing her customers, she knows she is in trouble. But the trouble is only starting, and Flair may have to embrace the magic she’s rejected, and play the witch card, in order to protect those she loves.

👩🏻‍🤝‍👩🏼mother/daughter relationship
❤️ second chance love
🃏 magic tarot
🪄 powerful adversary

The Crescent Moon Tearoom —

The Quigley sisters, Anne, Beatrix and Violet, have run the Crescent Moon Tearoom, since the untimely death of their parents. They have one another, and the customers that pleasantly buzz about the shop sipping their peony tea, eating their strawberry scones and waiting to have the dregs of their tea read to them. All is well until the Council of Witches call on the sisters, inform them that the city Diviner has lost her powers, and impose an impossible task upon them. At a time when the sisters need to pull together, they only seem to be pulling in different directions. Time is ticking, several destinies and the Tearoom are at stake, will the sisters meet their task, will the family curse separate the sisters, will they lose it all?

👗 sisters
🫖 magical brews
🔮 divination, a magical house
🖤 family curse

Many thanks to the authors @KJDA & @Stacy_Sivinski, the publishers @PutnamBooks & @AtriaBooks, and @NetGalley for the pleasure of reading these delightful digital books in exchange for an honest review.

This was just a bit too long and messy to be enjoyable for me. Not really bad, but I wouldn’t recommend it to others. Too much going on in the story and the three perspectives seemed odd and off. The meddling side characters didn’t turn into much of a story and left the plot feeling dull.

The Crescent Moon Tearoom by Stacy Sivinski is great for its cozy, autumnal atmosphere and richly sensory writing that brings readers into the warm, spice-scented world of three magical sisters. The story follows Anne, Beatrix, and Violet Quigley, whose fortune-telling tea shop and strong sisterly bonds are threatened by a family curse and the summons of a mysterious Council of Witches. Reviews highlight the book’s appeal as both a character-driven, witchy fantasy and a heartfelt exploration of sisterhood and self-discovery. Sivinski’s ability to create vibrant, distinct characters and weave in a charming sense of magic, nostalgia, and fate makes the book an enjoyable, seasonal read for fans of whimsical and mystical tales​.

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5

Thank you to Atria Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really don't know how to describe this book, but the word "sweet" comes to mind first. It really is, at it's heart, a story about sisters. While there's a dash of romance, and a hint of mystery, what's really on offer here is the bond shared between sisters.

I'll be honest, I wasn't sure what to think at first. The story moves quite slowly and the plot takes some time to really unravel. However, the charm - for me, at least - was truly in the cozy descriptions. If you're looking for something atmospheric, you've come to the right place. If you're looking for something more engaging, it might not be quite what you're looking for.

This is the story of what happens when we grow with family, yet bloom into our own being, and the steps we take to allow ourselves to flourish in the magic and presence of the ones we love.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review

Anne, Beatrix, and Violet Quigley are all sisters that run a tea shop together, after the death of their parents. Customers drink their tea and the sisters come by and read the leaves at the bottom of their cups and pass on advice and fortunes to them.

The Council of Witches comes knocking on their door, the city's diviner has lost their powers and the sisters are tasked with finding the task for 3 witches or they lose the tea shop and get seperated. The 3 sisters each go on a journey of discovery, one sisters writing finally gets traction and is offered a career. One sister's powers begins to far surpass the others. And the final sister finds herself involved as a trapeze artist in a circus. Will they accomplish their task or get separated on to different paths.

This was the perfect cozy fantastical book about sisterhood, and fate. I loved the journey each of the sisters went on, and how each of they dealt with their grief from their parents passing. They learned to spread their wings without it meaning they are abandoning each other for following their passions.

This is a cozy and witchy story about three sisters, Anne, Violet, and Beatrix, who run a tea shop where customers can come to have their fortune read. I loved the cozy tea vibes. During the story, the triplets are called upon by the council of witches and are given a task that they must complete or else they risk losing their shop. While focusing on saving their shop, each sister must learn to welcome their true powers outside of their roles at the tea shop and what they believe is expected of them.

One of my favorite parts of this book was the magical house! It had a very funny “personality” and would quickly put the girls in their places if needed. I definitely recommend this to any cozy fantasy lovers

Such a heartwarming, cute story! If you are a cozy fantasy fan then you need to pick up this book. Perfect for fans of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC of The Crescent Moon Tearoom!

Anne, Beatrix, and Violet Quigley run a tearoom in Chicago sometime in the early 20th century (I think. That is my only quibble with this book was that I struggled to figure out when it was set.) The witches live a cozy, if frantic existence serving tea and giving fortunes. Until one day the Council of Witches demands from the a task that they will have to use all of their strengths to solve.

The story of the Quigley triplets and their Chicago tearoom is amazing! This is such a great cozy witchy book!!!! I loved it so much that I am actually going to buy a copy because I plan to reread it. This book made me realize that I definitely have a thing for books with sentient houses. The house is a whole wonderful character in and of itself. The message of sisterhood and growing up and apart is so delightful in this book. Each character is so well-developed and the personalities are all so different. It is hard to believe this is Sivinski's debut. I will be picking up everything she writes from now on.

I enjoyed the cozy feeling I had every time I picked up this book! It was enjoyable with lots of descriptions of food and tea. I want to visit the Crescent Moon Tearoom! The story didn't keep my attention as much as I would have liked, but it's a very sweet read if you are looking for something with cozy, witchy, fall vibes, close sister relationships, a bit of romance and a sprinkle of magic!

Three sisters run a team room called the Crescent Moon, which is on the ground floor of the large house they live in. The sisters offer a wide variety of teas, but more importantly, they foretell their customers' futures. They're always busy, and work harmoniously together, sharing stories at the end of the day in their warm, cozy parlour.

Their parents died years earlier, and the triplets, though resembling one another, are quite different people. Anne took over the role of mother for her two sisters after their mother died, and is a powerful witch in her own right, though she's kept her powers in check to outstrip her sisters. Beatrix is very shy, and has trouble making decisions and takes comfort in writing, while Violet is always bursting with energy.

All seems wonderful, but then the Council of Witches arrives with news: the city's Diviner has lost her powers, and the three sisters must now help three other witches identify their lives' Tasks; the alternative is that these witches will die unfulfilled and remain as ghosts, and the Council will take the tearoom from the sisters.

The sisters are shocked, and not comfortable with the request, but must do their best to manage it. They also discover from their mother's friend Katherine that they are all suffering from a curse, the nature of which no one knows how to lift.

At the same time, Beatrix has submitted a story with a publisher, who raves about it, and wants much more from her, and Violet is strangely attracted to a circus that has set up in the city. Anne, meanwhile, finds that her already strong powers are growing much stronger, and it both scares and thrills her. So, even though it's imperative that the sisters find a way to help the three witches and save the tearoom, the sisters begin drifting apart as their separate interests pull them towards different paths.

I should have totally loved this book, but I did not. The things that bothered me:
-I spent much of the story trying to figure out when the story was set in a magical Chicago
-I could also easily see the trajectory of the story soon after I started
-I found the pacing to be quite slow, with it picking up a little nearly three quarters of the way in.
-I found Katherine's repeated visits to the shop to be a little frustrating, with her saying to the young women that the curse was worse, then taking off.
-I found Beatrix and Violet a little irritating at times, and the way the sisters refused to communicate with one another even though they have been open with one another up to this point.
-I was a little irritated that other than Anne, Beatrix and Violet became so consumed with what their new interests that they forgot that the tearoom was imperiled.

That's not to say that the story did not have a certain charm, such as:
-A tearoom and the smells of different teas brewing and tasty desserts baking there! Yum!
-The idea of a living house that does its best to accommodate the desires and needs of its inhabitants, such as expanding walls, or doing the dishes (and there are a lot of them each night!)
-A time travelling cat, Tabitha, who unfortunately did not make much of a contribution to the novel.
-It was believable that the sisters would be so wrapped up in themselves that they would neglect each other, and the looming crisis for the tearoom.

I am putting some of my frustrations down to this being a debut novel. This was a cozy read, and I think that's what kept me going, even though I wasn't as engaged as I had wanted to be.

3.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

This was the perfect cozy fantasy read for fall time. I enjoyed the story of the witchy sisters and how unique they both were with their gifts. I especially loved the tea readings as this is a skill that dates back centuries and is very popular today. This has charming cozy mysterious elements every reader will enjoy. A touch of paranormal,.a cozy setting and wonderfl characters. A enjoyable read.

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinions are my own.

This was a good debut fantasy book for cozy, witchy, or fall readers. I would suggest this book if you enjoy fall, Halloween, witches, or stories about sisterhood. I did skim the second half of it as I am not a huge fantasy lover.

I had fun reading this atmospheric fall book. While it isn't my favorite book that I've read this fall, it definitely provides the reader with a lot of cozy vibes. There were many things that I enjoyed about this book. I loved the relationship between the Quigley sisters. I thought each was so unique and I enjoyed how their stories intertwined with each other throughout the telling of this book. The magical realism was very fun, perfect for the fall reading. There were times, however, that I felt the book got a bit lost in the sauce, if you will. There were several instances where I felt the pacing was quite slow and it became somewhat repetitive. That being said, I did still enjoy my time reading this one and recommend to those who love a bit of a mystery with fall themes and strong sisterhood bonds.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

This sounded like one I'd really enjoy. I love family dynamics, witches, and tea. I liked that each sister had a different personality and the Inclusion of what different symbols within the leaves meant. Unfortunately I dnfed this at 20%. I was having such a hard time remembering which sister was which. I also grew very bored and pushed myself to make it as far as I did. Maybe it picks up later but by 20% I wasn't invested.

A perfect, cozy fantasy for autumn! This story follows 3 witchy sisters running a tea shop in a magical house. I loved the portrayal of the sisters' relationships with each other. A warm and inviting story to sink into. And the cover is one of my favorites this year!

Such a really cute classic story. It's even paced, with relatable characters, and such a beautiful story of sisters and how they ultimately must choose to work together to undo a curse. The atmosphere of the tea shop was adorable, as was the main house. I also found that the cover was absolutely gorgeous!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC!

Such a cozy fall vibes kind of book! It had the right mix of witchy, cozy and fall with a little bit of a mystery that I was looking for!

Three sisters bound together by their grief and loss of family, only to be cursed to be split apart from the only family they have left. One sister leans to a circus to fill the void, another sister leans into her writing abilities, and the last struggles to keep her growing powers at bay. Each fighting their own inner battle with fate; could this be happening because of the curse? Who cursed them? Why is it happening now?

Witchy vibes, fall vibes, cozy tea house, mystery curse, alive house, magic everywhere, this story does not disappoint!

The Crescent Moon Tearoom was the coziest of cozy fantasies. I feel like it took me longer to get through than I expected because I found myself wanting to be in a very specific mood to absorb the comfort of it, but everytime I picked it up, it was a comfy delight. Each of the sister’s stories was fully developed and had a great resolution. (Though I found myself partial to Violet’s story line.) I also enjoyed each of the side characters we got to learn more about. It really was just a very solidly happy read.