Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood is an engaging and magical story that blends romance, witchcraft, and mystery. The protagonist, a young witch, must navigate her complicated powers and a growing connection to a mysterious figure. Wood’s writing is captivating, with a fast-paced plot full of twists and turns that keep readers hooked. The magical elements are well-developed, and the characters are both relatable and intriguing. Fans of supernatural romance and YA fantasy will enjoy this enchanting and thrilling read.

Rewitched is the perfect book for fans of coming of age stories, witches, and protagonists in their 30s. Lucy Jane Woods writing is funny, heartfelt, and filled with magic. 10/10 read, 5 stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood!

Rewitched is just the cozy mystery fantasy I needed!

Belladonna (Belle) is stuck. She works at a local book shop, but is afraid to take the leap to buy it. Instead, she works for the owner's awful son Christopher, even though Violet offered her the store first. She has been a witch for 15 years, but hasn't really achieved a lot to show for it. Mostly, she uses magic to turn the radio dial or stir her coffee. Her best friend and roommate, Ariadne, doesn't know she's a witch.

When Belle receives a missive from the coven, telling her she must pass a test or lose her magic, she tries not to panic. But everything goes wrong, and she must take remedial lessons from someone in the coven that wasn't at her EquiWitch trial. That leaves only the very dodgy Artorius Day, who killed his brother years ago.

She also inherits a Watchman, the handsome Rune, a warlock who had chosen immortality to keep the coven strong. He is to keep her safe, and annoyingly, Belle ends up needing him.

This book has enough mystery and intrigue to keep you reading (if the slow burn romance with Rune doesn't do it). Moreover, we all can relate to Belle - she is too afraid to jump, feels like she hasn't lived up to her potential, and is too afraid to take a chance on love. Who hasn't felt that way at least once?

Any book that makes me smile like this one is worth a read! Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This was cute, whimsical, and witchy but of that descriptive realm it was not my favorite. It was a fairly quick read and is the perfect cozy book for that fall magic. I do think it is worth adding to your TBR for fall reads.

As a longtime fan of Lucy‘s YouTube channel, I was excited for her debut novel, but it didn’t quite meet my expectations. While the story had creative potential and an earnest charm, the overwritten prose, heavy handed descriptions, and lack of stakes made it feel weighed down. Some character choices also felt inconsistent. The book had good bones, but needed stronger editing. I look forward to seeing how Lucy’s writing evolves in the future!

Risking burnout at a bookshop job that she has a love/hate relationship with, Belladonna Blackthorn is facing her 30th Birthday. Belladonna Blackthorn is also a solitary witch living a non-magical world.

She receives a jump-scare when fellow handsome witch, Rune, shows up unannounced in her shop to personally invite her to her Equiwitch Trial - a magical ceremony determining her worthiness as a witch. Belle is deemed less than adequate and is left with 30 days to prefect her abilities or lose her magic forever.

With the help of her family and new friends Belle works against the clock as well as some dark magic that seems hellbent on holding her back from her magic. Not all is as it seems within the coven and there could be more than just Belle's magic on the line.

Slow burn romance and touch her and die vibes - this is a cozy magical read! Book two coming soon!

I really loved the idea of this book. A witch, witch trials, a little time travel (or what felt like time travel?), and a slow burn romance. Overall i found myself losing my place and just not loving what I was reading. It felt a little too all over the place. I felt like we should have had the witch trials or the romance, but both together felt unnecessary. I just wanted more. I will try again with this author.

I adored this book. I have always had a soft spot for any book that has to do with witches, and this one hit the spot. Watching Belle grow and change, accept her magic and use it for such good, and just learning to trust herself and others made me so happy. I can't wait to read more from Lucy Jane Wood!

This was all right but not anything special. The characters are likeable enough and the story is entertaining if predictable

Rewitched is a cozy, light fantasy with a charming autumn vibe, mild danger, and plenty of witchery. It follows Belle Blackthorn, born into a famous witch family, who lives in the non-witche world, working at Lunar Bookshop for a toxic boss.

When she is summoned for the Equiwitch trial to prove her magical worth, Belle fails due to neglecting her gifts. Given a second chance, she has one month till Halloween to pass the tests given by Grimoire under the mentorship of Artorius Day.

However, it’s not as simple as it seems. Artorius Day was accused of murdering his brother! As someone is blocking her magic and is sabotaging her work and there is also a life threat, Belle must navigate danger, uncover the truth about Artorius, and reclaim her powers.

From the cover, I expected Rewitched to be a contemporary romance with a touch of magic, but it offers more witchery, trials, and a dash of mystery with mild peril. The writing is engaging and heartfelt, focusing on self-love, overcoming fear of failure, and finding happiness.

Set in the U.K., the Lunar Books shop is beautifully described, making it clear why Belle endures her toxic boss. The coven’s headquarters, how grimoire and Witche world works are also well depicted. There is a compelling cast of characters.

Belle is compassionate, snarky, and fun, but lacks the boldness and confidence her coven expects, struggling with low self-esteem. It was grating to see her having for failure that makes both herself and readers unhappy, but at the same time it makes reader relate to her and want to hug her.

Her love for her best friend, Ariadne, her mother and people in her life shows the strength of her character. It was amazing to witness her journey of realizing her worth, learning to be witch once again, and taking control of her own happiness.

Artorius Day plays a pivotal role in both Belle’s journey to be rewitched and the mystery surrounding her. Their growing friendship adds depth to the story. This old man is so lovely, caring, soft spoken and filled with encouragement that it’s clear he couldn’t be a murderer, despite the accusations. My heart went out to him and I wanted justice for him myself.

Belle and Artorius working on witch tests was best part of the story that also more insight on the Witche world and how it flourishes with belief and practice. relationships between Belle, her family, and her best friend Ariadne give the story a found-family vibe.

There’s a hint of romance between Belle and Rune, a 200 years old warlock assigned to her as a watchman by the coven. While the chemistry between them is crackling from the beginning, Their bickering was fun, there is one kissing scene but as we don’t see the romance flourish due to the mild peril of life threat take precedence. I would’ve loved more time with them and Rune’s story.

Climax is interesting. While I had inkling regarding the villain’s identity, I still was surprised by the level of cruelty and heartlessness the villain had. What I don’t understand is why the villain waited this long. Belle’s final actions are satisfying and I loved how Artorius not only finds justice but also friends and family.

Overall, Rewitched is a heartwarming, cozy urban fantasy with a rich magical world and engaging characters.

A perfect cozy fall read. It really hits that "low stakes, high vibes" trend that's been going around lately. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun, non-stressful, cozy fantasy read.

Rewitched is a cozy fantasy about finding the strength to believe in the power within us.

Belladona lives an uneventful life, as the unofficial main caretaker of an independent bookstore. Often nudged by the (soon to be retired) owner to take over it, Bella struggles to find confidence in herself and her skills, holding back personally, professionally, and even romantically.

Even though she is capable of impactful feats of magic when she lets her heart out, her anxiety and insecurity are powerful barriers, holding herself back from acknowledging her true potential.

In Rewitched, magic is a metaphor for the infinite possibilities of our will and the way we are able to influence and create wonder in the world around us, if only we set our hearts to it. It is a story of the hardship in trusting yourself and your potential.

The plot is a bit sparse and overextended, the big bad a bit predictable. But on a personal, more intimate, level this story works well and will resonate with those still working to find their path and the strength within.

Personally, it was a bit too cozy for me and the romantic relationship too instant to have much depth. The repetitive mundane didn't quite pique my interest but those who enjoy cozy fantasy with a heartfelt message will be glad to disagree with me.

Rewitched was the kind of cozy fantasy that wraps you up like a warm blanket on a chilly fall day—but with plenty of magic and mystery to keep things exciting. The story follows Belladonna Blackthorn, a witch. At the start, she discovers that she must prove her worthiness to keep her magical powers—an unexpected trial that forces her to confront her insecurities and past.

What really shone in Rewitched is Belladonna’s personal journey. Her story is one of self-discovery, learning to trust herself, and finding the strength to believe she’s deserving of all the magic and happiness in her life. It’s refreshing to read about a witch who isn’t a young, self-assured heroine but instead someone still figuring things out well into adulthood. For anyone who’s ever felt like time’s running out or questioned their own potential, Belladonna's growth is relatable and heartwarming.

The book is set against the backdrop of a cozy bookstore that serves up cinnamon buns and has the kind of atmosphere you can almost smell—perfect for fans of magical realism and bookstore vibes. There's also a romance subplot, though it takes a backseat to Belladonna's journey, which I appreciated. The magic system is rich, and the stakes are high, but it’s the emotional depth that truly carries the story.

Though the plot can feel a bit slow at times, it’s this slower pace that allows for introspection and character development. This was more than just a magical adventure—it’s a reminder that sometimes, the most important magic is the kind we find within ourselves. If you’re looking for a fun, cozy read with a dash of magic and plenty of heart, this one’s for you.

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties program, all opinions are my own.

This follows Belle in the wake of her 30th birthday. Belle has known all of her life that she is a witch, but at 30 her coven gets to decide if she gets to keep her power during an archaic trial. Belle has neglected her powers and learning her craft for the last 15 years, especially since she has to keep the fact she's a witch a secret from anyone not in the coven. Her trial doesn't go very well, but a loophole allows her to keep her powers if she studies under a mentor for the next few weeks. With the help of her new mentor and her handsome guard, she not only uncovers her spark and love for magic again and her self worth, but she also uncovers a sinister plot lurking within the coven.

Overall I thought this was fine. I thought parts of the plot were a bit unrealistic, especially when it came to Belle not knowing anything about her magic and how the coven works. I also find it hard to believe that Belle and Ari grew up together and Ari never figured out that Belle had any magical powers in more than 15 years. As for Belle's choices, the author eventually explains why Belle made some of the choices she did and the trauma behind why she decided to ignore magic and never felt worthy or ready to take chances. There were some humorous moments, and a light romance to balance out the more serious topics.

This was fine! It was an easy enough read that has a good moral about being true and believing in yourself, learning from the past, all of that, but I hate a main character that isn't great to their friends and the whole thing was a little oddly paced.

Actual Rating 2.5

This work of cozy magical realism was a decent autumn read. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the work as well as the main friendships that were emphasized and most of the secondary characters. I thought the romance was a little lacking, but thankfully it wasn’t the main focus of the work. While the book starts off quite slow, it does pick up pace in the last half.

There were a few things that lessened my enjoyment overall. The entire plot of this work hinges on Belle not reading a book that would have perfectly explained everything if she had. Belle, who works in a bookstore and loves to read. But as long as you don’t think about that and a few other plot holes similar to this, then it’s mostly enjoyable. There were also some instances where something was supposed to be super intense but it was over too quickly to be impactful. Then there were other instances where something could have been mentioned briefly but was gone into in painful depth. The way these parts were written led to a somewhat unbalanced feeling throughout the work.

If you’re looking for a cozy read about witches and coming into your own, then you may enjoy this one. My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The following review was published or updated in several Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia newspapers and magazines in November and December 2024:

Booking a full year of reading

Review by Tom Mayer

If only us readers could just spend our days … reading. What would a year look like? Here, the editors of Home for the Holidays present their yearlong list of books, culled from the past 12 months of reading and reviewing. A few of the titles you’ll immediately recognize, and you’ll likely have more than few in your own library. But just in case you missed a title or two, we’re showcasing the whole year’s worth of books that we’ve read and reviewed, month by month.

Except for the first title, the list is simply a list. To find the reviews of many of these titles, visit our newspaper parent, The (Athens) News Courier at enewscourier.com — with a slight caveat. Our newspaper webmasters are currently working overtime to improve our content management system, the foundation of any website, and while many of our archives are now found there, it may be a few weeks before everything is fully re-uploaded — including the most recent editions of Limestone Life and Home for the Holidays. For now, though, enjoy our literary stroll through 2024.

And about that first title: Not every college professor can make statistical analysis approachable, let along interesting to their students and the general population, but Athens State University emeritus professor of psychology Mark Durm is not every college professor. After spending nearly five decades teaching thousands of students, the “ol’ psychology professor” decided that he’d best get around to writing the one book out of his nearly 100 published pieces that’s he always wanted to write. Call it a legacy piece, but what it really is is a “best of” Durm’s peer-reviewed, book reviews, non-peer reviewed and magazine articles from his 47 years in higher education.

The result is “Professional Publications of an Ol’ Psychology Professor” (Dorrance) with full previously published articles ranging from studies on the effects of glasses on a child’s self-esteem to his ever-popular parapsychology pieces, Durm presents his internationally recognized efforts with a twist.

“It’s a different kind of book because it doesn’t talk about the research, it presents the research,” the professor says from his second-career office at Durm Properties in Athens, about a half-mile from where he first presented that research in person. “I’ve spent hours on all of these articles, especially in the peer-reviewed journal articles.”

And so, articles on divorce, sex, religion and other topics now populate the pages of Durm’s most recent book in an effort to both continue his teaching and satisfy what has been a lifelong wonderment.

“You know, most people don’t understand statistics, so it’s all in there,” Durm said. “What I’m trying to do is a more critical approach to ‘just don’t believe everything you’re told.’ … It’s things that were in my life that I wanted to see if they were so, by using a psychological analysis.”

And like any good professor, Durm didn’t do that research on his own — or take all of the credit. Among the co-authors of many of his articles in the book were students — many of who he’s lost touch with, but all of whom who he credits by name in his acknowledgements and for each of who, if they look up their ol’ mentor, he has a signed book ready to hand over. For the rest of us, you can find the book at any online bookseller — just as you can with the remainder of our list, presented by the month in which the book was published, read and reviewed.

JANUARY

Unbound (Blackstone) by Christy Healy NG/F

The Devil’s Daughter by Gordon Greisman NG/ARC

FEBRUARY

Almost Surely Dead (Mindy’s Book Studio) by Amina Akhtar NG

The Chaos Agent (Gray Man 13) (Berkley) by Mark Greaney NG

The Lady in Glass and Other Stories (Ace) by Anne Bishop ARC

A Haunting in the Arctic (Berkley paperback) by C.J. Cooke NG

Ghost Island (Berkley) by Max Seeck

MARCH

Hello, Alabama (Arcadia) by Martha Day Zschock

The Unquiet Bones (Montlake) by Loreth Anne White

I am Rome: A novel of Julius Caesar (Ballantine Books by Santiago PosteguilloMarch 5: Murder Road (Berkley) by Simone St. James

The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry (Holiday House) by Anna Rose Johnson

Ferris (Candlewick) by Kate DiCamillo

After Annie (Random House, Feb. 27) by Anna Quindlen

Crocodile Tears Didn't Cause the Flood (Montag Press) by Bradley Sides The #1 Lawyer (Little, Brown and Company) by James Patterson, Nancy Allen

Lilith (Blackstone) by Eric Rickstad

Life: My Story Through History (Harper One) by Pope Francis

APRIL

Matterhorn (Thomas & Mercer) by Christopher Reich

Friends in Napa (Mindy’s Book Studio) by Sheila Yasmin Marikar

City in Ruins (William Morrow) by Don Winslow

The House on Biscayne Bay (Berkley) by Chanel Cleeton

Two Friends, One Dog, and a Very Unusual Week (Peachtree) by Sarah L. Thomson

For Worse (Blackstone) by L.K. Bowen

A Killing on the Hill (Thomas & Mercer) by Robert Dugoini

The Clock Struck Murder (Poisoned Pen Press) by Betty Webb

The Book That Broke the World (Ace) by Mark Lawrence

The Forgetters (Heyday Books) by Greg Sarris

Lost to Dune Road (Thomas & Mercer) by Kara Thomas

Warrior on the Mound (Holiday House/Peachtree) by Sandra Headed

Pictures of Time (Silver Street Media) by David AlexanderBare Knuckle (Blackstone Publishing) by Stayton Bonner

Murder on Demand (Blackstone Publishing) by Al Roker

Home is Where the Bodies Are (Blackstone) by Jeneva Rose

MAY

Matterhorn by Christopher Reich

The Hunter's Daughter (Berkley) by Nicola Solvinic

The House That Horror Built (Berkley) by Christina Henry

In our stars (Berkley) by Jack Campbell

Freeset (book 2) (Blackstone) by Sarina Dahlan

Southern Man (William Morrow) by Greg Iles

Camino Ghosts (Doubleday) by John Grisham

JUNE

Specter of Betrayal by Rick DeStefanis

Lake County (Thomas & Mercer) by Lori Roy

Serendipity (Dutton) by Becky Chalsen

Shelterwood (Ballantine) by Lisa Wingate

The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra’s Needle (Holiday House) by Dan Gutman

Jackpot (Penguin) by Elysa Friedland

The Helper (Blackstone) by M.M. Dewil

Winter Lost (Ace) by Patricia Briggs

Shadow Heart (Blackstone) by Meg Gardiner

Lake Country (Thomas & Mercer) by Lori Roy

The Out-of-Town Lawyer (Blackstone) by Robert Rotten

Love Letter to a Serial Killer (Berkley) by Tasha Coryell

Sentinel Berkley) by Mark Greaney

JULY

Three Kings: Race, Class, and the Barrier-Breaking Rivals Who Redefined Sports and Launched the Modern Olympic Age (Blackstone) by Todd Balf

The Night Ends with Fire (Berkley) by K.X. Song

Echo Road (Montlake) by Melinda Leigh

It’s Elementary (Berkley) by Elise Bryant

You Shouldn’t Be Here (Thomas & Mercer) by Lauren Thoman

Back In Black (Blackstone) edited by Don Bruns

The Recruiter (Blackstone) by Gregg Podolski

AUGUST

You Shouldn’t Be Here (Thomas & Mercer) by Lauren Thoman ARC

Not What She Seems (Thomas & Mercer) by Yasmin Angoe NG

Fatal Intrusion by Jeff Deaver/Isabella Maldonado

Death at Morning House (HARPERTeen) by Maureen Johnson

Fire and Bones (Scribner) by Kathy Reichs

Some Nightmares Are Real (University of Alabama Press) by Kelly Kazoo

The Brothers Kenny (Blackstone) by Adam Mitzner

Blind to Midnight (Blackstone) by Reed Farrel Coleman

The Wayside (Blackstone) by Carolina Wolff

Enemy of the State (Blackstone) by Robert Smartwood

You Will Never Be Me (Berkley) by Jesse Q. Sutanto

On Settler Colonialism: Ideology, Violence, and Justice (W.W. Norton) by Adam Kirsch

We Love the Nightlife (Berkley) by Rachel Koller Croft

Talking To Strangers (Berkley) by Fiona Barton

An Honorable Assassin (Blackstone) by Steve Hamilton possible interview see email

Dungeon Crawler Carl (1 of 6 but see next two months) (Ace) by Matt Dinniman

SEPTEMBER

Fatal Intrusion (Thomas & Mercer) by Jeffrey Deaver and Isabella Maldonado

When They Last Saw Her (Penguin) by Marcie Rendon

American Ghoul (Blackstone) by Michelle McGill-Vargas

First Do No Harm (Blackstone) by Steve Hamilton

A Quiet Life: A Novel (Arcade) by William Cooper and Michael McKinley

One More From the Top (Mariner) by Emily Layden

No Address (Forefront Books) by Ken Abraham.

Tiger’s Tale (Blackstone) by Colleen Houck

An Academy for Liars (Ace) by Alexis Henderson

Rewitched (Berkley) by Lucy Jane Wood

Gaslight (Blackstone) by Sara Shepard and Miles Joris-Peyrafitte

Counting Miracles (Random House) by Nicholas Sparks

The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society (Ace) by C.M. Waggoner

The Hitchcock Hotel (Berkley) by Stephanie Wrobel

In the Garden of Monsters by Crystal King

Carl’s Doomsday Scenario (2 of 6 see next month also) (Ace) by Matt Dinniman

OCTOBER

The Hushed (Blackstone) by K.R. Blair NG

A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer (Berkley) by Maxie Dara

On Settler Colonialism: Ideology, Violence, and Justice (Norton) by WSJ Weekend review editor Adam Kirsch

Framed (Doubleday) by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey

This Cursed House (Penguin) by Del Sandeen

The Puzzle Box (Random House) by Danielle Trussoni

Two Good Men (Blackstone) by S.E. Redfearn

Dark Space (Blackstone) by Rob Hart and Alex Segura

This Cursed House (Berkley’s open submission)by Del Sandeen

Vindicating Trump (Regnery) by Dinesh D’Souza

The Book of Witching (Berkley) by C.J. Cooke

The World Walk (Skyhorse) by Tom Turcich

The Waiting Game by Michael Connelly  ARC, possible interview see email

Beyond Reasonable Doubt (Thomas & Mercer) by Robert Dugoni

Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook (3 of 6, with bonus material) (Ace) by Matt Dinniman

Frozen Lives (Blackstone) by Jennifer Graeser Fronbush NG

Vincent, Starry Starry Night (Meteor 17 Books) intro by Don McLean

Paris in Winter: An Illustrated Memoir (PowerHouse Books) by David Coggins

NOVEMBER

The Waiting (Little, Brown) by Michael Connelly

The Teller of Small Fortunes (Penguin) by Julie Long

Shadow Lab (Blackstone) by Brendan Deneen

Trial by Ambush (Thomas & Mercer) by Marcia Clark

Devil Take It (Heresy Press) by Daniel Debs Nossiter

SerVant of Earth (Ace) by Sarah Hawley

All the other me (Blackstone) by Jody Holford

The Perfect Marriage (Blackstone reissue re-edit) by Jenny Rose

DECEMBER

Trial By Ambush (Thomas & Mercer) by Marcia Clark

The Close-Up (Gallery Books) by Pip Drysdale

The Silent Watcher (Thomas & Mercer) by Victor Methos

Leviathan (Lividian Trade HC) by Robert McCammon

The Silent Watcher (Thomas & Mercer) by Victor Method

Assume Nothing (Thomas & Mercer) by Joshua Corin

One example link:
https://enewscourier.com/2024/11/29/in-review-booking-a-full-year-of-reading/

REWITCHED is a beautifully told tale of insecurities, inner healing and inventive witchcraft all wrapped up in a cozy package. It stars a cute witch, Belladonna Blackthorn, who is exhausted from dealing with a bear of a boss, protecting her coworkers from him and working at a charming bookstore. On her thirtieth birthday, it is revealed from her coven that a trial will begin to test her witchy powers she possesses. Belle will need help from family, friends, a mentor and a dashing, vexing watchman who is her protector.

Belle has a month to prepare for her trials, but self doubt kicks in. With her wily, well-favored watchman, Rune, broodily banking his fires for her, romance sparkles between them. Her hesitant performance before the counsel, Belle despairs of the risky situation of losing her powers forever. Her insecurities kick in. What will happen if she never comes into her own powers? Are there forces out there to steal her magic?

Shocking scandals, scintillating suspense, scary spells, self-discovery and a slow burn romance perfectly blend in, REWITCHED, a debut novel by a rising star author. There are many wonderful, wacky characters and an adorable cat to boot in this lively story! I love the enchanting atmosphere of the bookstore and the brooding, cunning, defender named Rune. He is the classic swoony guy every girl dreams about! I loved the whole plot watching how Belle comes into her own powers, as Rune stealthily helps her out. Will she find the courage to fight for her magic, family and herself? This is a fantastic, fantasy tale filled with intrigue, extraordinary situations, strong characters, and a powerful message. A ferociously, fantastic read!

I wanted to enjoy this book and would hope that it would break me out of my funk, but unfortunately it didn't hit the spot.

Although I really liked the cozy vibes and the MC I felt like there could have been a bit more that could have been explored like her working in a bookstore and her healing journey away from everything that was magic. Bookstores are such a fun setting!

It also is very much a slowburn and also a slower paced read which didn't help in keeping me interested. There are great things about this book including the writing, but it was not for me in the end. I can see others really enjoying this one.