A most enchanting magical book, with cozy autumn vibes. I absolutely hope this is part of a series, and I will 100% read the next book Lucy Jane Wood writes, even if it isn't a continuation of this one!!!
I was hooked at the dedication, "For the girls who grew up on the wonder of witches, and knew that magic would be found at their own fingertips." YES!
I just fell in love with this book. It was beautifully written, which doesn't happen often enough in this genre. The descriptions and word choices were just lovely. The characters were relatable, especially Belle, and loveable. I absolutely want an Ariande as a best friend. The relationship dynamics, development, and hilarious banter was delightful. Even though it is set in London, it still manages to feel cozy, and not an urban fantasy. Seeing how the main character develops, was inspiring. Sometimes when you have a main character who lacks self-esteem, authors make the character too self-flagelating with with guilt and self-blame. Not so with Belle, thank all gods. The magic system, plot and twists were well-crafted. This book had everything I love, magic, coziness, love, self-discovery, found family, autumn, and more.
A big thanks to author for writing this, and thanks so much to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for making the ARC available.

Belladonna Blackthorn is almost 30. She works in Lunar Books, and she truly loves it there. Or she did. Violet, who owns the store, has decided to retire, and she’s letting her son Christopher take it over. And all the things that Belle had done over the years to make it cozy and inviting, he is tearing apart. Belle wishes she could buy the bookstore herself, but she just doesn’t feel ready.

Belle lives with her best friend Ariadne and her cat Jinx. And it’s only if you look closely that you’ll see the small incantations around her. A wave of her hand to tidy up the children’s books section at the store, a flick of the wrist to sort the mail, a tiny finger movement to add a tea bag to her mug. Most people don’t expect anything magic to happen in everyday life, so they miss it. And Belle is careful. She doesn’t want anyone to know that she’s a witch. Aside from her mother, who is also a witch, obviously.

Then one busy evening, after a sudden thunderstorm catches all the customers off guard, a man appears at the bookstore to talk to her. He is tall, with a dark coat, looking a little like someone in a movie about vampires. He asks Belle for a book, the title setting her on alert, as it’s a notorious book to a her, the witch-hunter’s guide to finding witches. She tells him that they don’t carry it and expect him to leave. However, he follows her to the back of the store instead.

Once they’re speaking privately, he tells her that the coven doesn’t appreciate how she’s been avoiding their correspondence. She insists she hasn’t gotten any. He assures her that she had, a black envelope with gilt edges that he put a spell on so that it would be certain to get her attention Again, she insists that she never received anything from the coven and his spell must not be very good. He is offended by that, but he gives her another envelope and tells her not to ignore that one. When she finally gets home from the bookstore, Belle opens it to find out that she will be called before the coven on her 30th birthday so they can decide if she’s used her magic sufficiently for it to be bestowed upon her permanently. If she hasn’t, it will be taken from her.

Belle had been given her book of witchcraft when she was 15, and she was supposed to be using it and learning from it all that time. But she didn’t know about this trial on her 30th birthday, and she hadn’t been going out of her way to do much magic, aside from the few incantations she used to make her life a little easier. But will that be enough?

It turns out, it’s not enough for the coven, and Belle is given until Halloween, just a little over a month away, to work with a mentor to get her magic up to speed. But her mentor turns out to be an older gentleman who was removed from the coven when he was a teenager. And the guy who dropped off her invitation keeps popping up at inopportune times to check on her. She can’t tell anyone in her non-witch world what is going on, so she has to spend less time protecting the bookstore from Christopher’s bad choices, and she snaps at Ariadne because she is just exhausted. But worst of all, she struggles with even the simplest incantations. It’s like there is some dark force that is working against her spells, and if she can’t figure out what that is in time and fix it, she’ll lose her witch powers forever.

Rewitched is a charming story about finding your place in the world and doing the work to be ready. It’s a coming of age story about witches and magic, familiars and family. Author Lucy Jane Wood has packed a lot into her debut novel, from the love story to the bookstore shenanigans to Belle learning her craft. But the ending is so rewarding, and the characters are easy to fall in love with (except Christopher, obviously, who doesn’t understand how to respect a bookstore).

I really enjoyed Rewitched. I will be honest here and say that I thought the opening was a little slow. I thought some of that could have been cut and maybe told in flashbacks, but I still enjoyed the story. I liked Belle a lot and wanted her to succeed, and the people she drew to her were impressive as well. And once I got past that beginning and things were happening for Belle, I was drawn in and really wanted to find out what had happened with the coven. Rewitched is really a very satisfying magical story, and I think magic-seeking readers will enjoy it.

Egalleys for Rewitched were provided by Berkley through NetGalley with many thanks.

This cozy fantasy story with just a hint of romance was a fun and heartwarming read. There were a few bits that were hard to believe, but overall it was fun. Belle is about to turn 30 and little does she know that is a very important date when you are also a witch. After an unpleasant delivery she is summoned to the coven to be judged and ensured she’s worthy of her magic because only a finite amount in the world exists. After stumbling she’s given a second chance, but after always letting fear hold her back she’s not sure if she’s truly ready for this fight. I liked the side characters a lot (especially Ari) and felt like they truly enhanced the story a lot. Rune was ok but their interactions all felt a bit forced to me. Arty was amazing and overall it was a fun story. Definitely a good choice as October hits us.

Thank you to Ace Books and Berkley Romance for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

How beautiful is this book?!

Belle gained her witchy powers at 15, but she hasn't quite taken advantage of their breadth. And she is shocked to learn that her use of them will be reassessed on her 30th birthday. If deemed insufficient, she'll lose them forever.

This was such a neat magical world with rules that I enjoyed learning right along with Belle. The only part that tripped me up was each time that moons was used to count days. I'm used to that meaning months.

This book is such a journey for Belle. It's got elements of romance mixed in with the fantasy. But by far, it's a character study. In order to remain a witch, Belle will need to start believing in herself. I was there with her for every single moment. And my heart ached for her as we saw the harsher flashbacks. I think many of us can relate to feeling scared to risk it all or leave our comfort. and best of all, Belle is a bookseller with an amazing sounding bookshop where I would love to spend all my time.

This was a lovely and cozy read. I would love more in this world and plan to re-read.

This book is so charming and magical with definite fall vibes. I just couldn’t sink into the story - the place was so slow that I lost interest

*i did not share a star rating on goodreads

In Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood, the author has created a charming and spellbinding story about embracing your true self and all the magic within you. I absolutely adored this novel and it’s not just because my birthday is the same day as Belladonna. Part of the charm in this story lies in the way Belladonna fights for her magic and for herself even when it’s difficult.
Belladonna is a charming character who struggles in believing in herself. And as she realizes she may lose her magic for good, she begins fighting for herself. What’s even better is that she finds family along the way and ends up fighting for her friends as much as for herself. She learns to believe in herself and follow her instincts. And the twists and turns of the story will keep you on the edge of your seat as you realize not all is as it seems. From coziness to a climatic magical battle, this is a beautiful story about love and found family.
If you like stories about magic and witches, you will love this charming and spellbinding story by Lucy Jane Wood. I love the way she emphasizes believing in yourself, in love and found family, and in embracing your magic and your truth. Even without magic, I think all of us could use a dose of what’s in Rewitched. It is positively magical.

What an absolutely PERFECT book for Autumn. It is the perfect mix of a cozy Fall read and a witchy October story. As someone who leans more Pumpkin Spice than Spooky, but enjoys both vibes, this is the book I have been waiting for. It’s hard to find a book with magic that doesn’t go overboard with throwing long, complicated explanations of the magic at you from the start, but Rewitched was SO good at working little bits of info into the story, and better yet, not explaining things that didn’t need explanations. It kept me in the story instead of making me feel like I had to take notes to keep up. I loved that while magic is the key focus of the events in the story, the story itself is about very normal human experiences like not feeling good about yourself, not knowing what you’re doing with your life, and feeling like you’re not where you want to be at a certain age. The writing is funny and charming, and the the pacing was flawless. I will definitely be recommending this book to anyone and everyone who wants a cozy read with substance and magic.

Cozy fantasy book with October vibes….good for lovers of cats, found family, and character growth. It doesn’t have much in romance so don’t read looking for that. The book was strong in developing friendships and showing how belle grew. I still hoped for more from this book but that might have been my fault for setting my expectations high.

A charmingly romantic autumn tale. I was surprised to learn this was Wood's first story! Her prose are excellent and though the beginning of the book was slow to unfold I found that reminiscent of so many authors I adore. This is certainly one I think I'll revisit in Autumns to come. A perennial reminder that there is magic in finding yourself.

4.5 Stars
Rewitched was delightful!
I’ve been in the mood for cozy, witchy books lately and let me tell you, this has all the cozy, magical vibes I was looking for!

It’s beautifully written, full of lovable characters (Arty was my favorite!) and I loved the world-building and magic system.

Belle is a wonderful main character. She’s trying her best to balance her two lives, the magical and non-magic, while also battling deep-rooted self-doubt. I loved following along as she re-discovered not only her love of magic, but herself.

I enjoyed the slow-burn romance and Rune was the perfect love interest. They may not have had the best start but the chemistry was there - I’m pretty sure I was smiling almost every time they were on the page together. I also appreciate that the romance was more of a subplot than the main focus of the story.

This was an amazing debut and I can’t wait to read whatever Lucy Jane Wood releases next!
You should definitely pick this up if you’re on the hunt for a cozy, heartwarming paranormal book for your fall TBR.

This was quite literally the perfect witchy fall read! I adored the beginning and the end section but found the middle to be a bit draggy in speed and plot. It was also slightly frustrating how often the perfectly capable main character acted like she would fail at literally everything one second and then being a capable 30 year old adult the next but overall I really loved the vibes, the atmosphere and the characters!

Thank you to @berkleypub, @netgalley, and the talented @lucyjanewood for the gifted e-book!

This enchanting tale is brimming with cozy witchy vibes that had me spellbound from start to finish. The magical system and characters are utterly captivating, especially Bella's empowering journey as she embraces her magical prowess. Artorius's role in helping Bella unlock her potential added an extra layer of charm to the story, keeping me hooked with its mystery and intrigue.

While the book starts off a bit slow as the author sets the stage, the world-building and character development only add to the enchantment. My only wish was for more insight into the relationship between Bella and Rune, her protector.

If you're a fan of witches and magic, this book is an absolute must-read! Grab your copy now and get ready to be bewitched!

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

With the autumn season heading this way, I forgot how much I enjoy magic and witches. I always love found families, finding yourself, and an uplifting win.

Belle has been doubting herself, not sure if she can take over running Lunar Books when her boss/owner retires. So the boss decides to give her son a shot at running it. Now Belle has to do all the work and fight him to do what needs to happen.

At the same time, she discovers as she reaches her 30th birthday, she must go to the coven for a ceremony to keep her magic. Plus she has recently lost her beloved grandmother. When the ceremony goes badly, she has a month to prove she should be a witch. She's given a mentor and a watchmen.

The mentor has a questionable past but she connects with him quickly. He's a kind old man who works hard to help her. The watchmen stirs her attraction which is annoying since it feels like he sees her failing all the time. Belle works all day at the bookstore, all night at the mentoring, and is exhausted. Her roommate and best friend is mad at her for shutting her out, working all the time.

But with the overwhelming support of co-workers, roommate, family and friends, including her mentor and watchmen, Belle starts to believe in herself and finally makes choices in her life with confidence. I really enjoyed this character development journey with magic, evil authority, found family and a slow burn romance. Rewitched went from despairing to inspiring, and it was a hard fought win.

On her thirtieth birthday, Belle Blackthorne receives a summons from her coven and faces a trial that tests her capabilities as a witch. After said trial goes disastrously, she has one month to find a mentor, train, complete magical tasks, evade a nefarious force that's trying to sabotage her, and change her coven's minds. Sounds simple, right?

(Spoiler alert: it isn't.)

I appreciated the cozy witch vibe of this. In fact, that's what drew me to the book initially. I love me some autumnal whimsy this time of the year and this fit the bill in that regard; however, I couldn't connect to either the characters or the plot. The magical trials Belle had to face seemed to blur together, the mentor portions fell flat, plus the romance left much to be desired. I'm sure other readers may find much to love about this one, but it wasn't for me.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

Cozy witch fiction! This was a fun read, if not a tad frustrating. Belle and Ari are great characters, though I could have done without Rune's broody protective romance thing - I think he could have just been a great protector and friend, not sure why this stuff always needs goopy romance, but thankfully it felt more like an afterthought than much else. It felt like "Hocus Pocus" but veiled in a Harry Potter type magical challenge and leaving adolescence (even though Belle is turning 30). Fun, cozy, witchy, best friends, magic, cats -- what's not to like?

This was such a a fun and cozy read. I loved the vibe for fall.

Witches
Murder
Magic Trials
Bookstore
A lovely old fella
Evil
A touch of romance
Friendship

So much. I just loved it. Belle, Ari, Arty, and Rune. Loved the characters and how the story unfolded.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ace for my complimentary eARC of Rewitched. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book !! It is pure witch perfection.
It has all of my favorites:
Witches
Warlocks
Covens
Secrets
Magical Deadline
Mystery
Romance
They all come together to form the perfect fall read.

I cannot pick a favorite character.
Belle, Rune, Bonnie, Ariadne, and Artorius make a great found family. I really liked how their stories all weaved together.

As soon as we met Bell I was rooting for her. I wanted her to prove she deserved her magic, and I really wanted her to take over the bookshop, and maybe throw a hex or two Christopher's way. (you'll see why as soon as you meet him)

Throughout the whole story, I loved Bell, her relationships with her mother and best friend, and how much she loved the bookshop. Some of the other parts fell a bit flat for me. It did take a bit for me to feel like the story was getting started, and I didn't really feel that much chemistry between Rune and Belle. However Belle and her bestie were amazing, I loved the magic, and the story overall was charming, If this were to be a series I would definitely read a sequel.

Rewitched is the story of a witch who’s forced to prove her powers or have them stripped away. Lucy Jane Wood creates a woman’s journey in a world of witches, warlocks, mystery, and good and evil that at times feels magical.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Belladonna “Belle” Blackthorn is about to turn 30 when she receives a summons from the Selcouth coven, saying that it’s time to test her witchy skills. But Belle hasn’t been doing much magic lately; she’s just trying to stay afloat in London while working at a beloved bookstore for a horrid boss and living with her BFF. But the hottie coven watchman Rune Dunstan arrives to make sure she actually shows up for her test. After a few more plot points, Belle finds herself being mentored by a disgraced warlock in order to perform six challenges so she can keep her magic. And all in one month. No problem, right?

This story was a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed the characters, and once the plot hit its stride, it was entertaining. But the book felt too long, and the world building takes a while to take off. If I hadn’t been ARC reading, I might have given up early on, but I’m glad I stuck with it. The plot picks up once the witches truly arrive, and second half of the book moves at a much better pace.

There is a romance subplot, but this book is Belle’s journey. It’s not a spoiler to say she learns to believe in herself and her magic. I found the secondary characters charming, too. I really like Rune, and wish there was a bit more romance in this story. But, that’s just my personal preference, not a flaw in the book.

If you are looking for a witchy read this fall, Rewitched fits the bill. It has mystery and romance, along with lots of elaborate world building. I’m glad I tried a new author, and I’m interested to see what Lucy Jane Wood writes next.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood is a standalone novel revolving around witches. Belladonna Blackthorn, loves her job at Lunar Books, even though her boss is very toxic to work for. Belle hides her ability as a witch from her friends and other workers, though her mother is also a witch. On her 30th birthday, Belle is summoned by her coven for a trial that could strip her of her magic; though she has not done much with her magic lately. She risks losing her magic forever; and must prove herself worthy of the magic she possesses.

With the month of October (Halloween), to fix things, Belle will find help from some wonderful secondary characters; an older retired mentor, Arty, who will train her; her mother, Bonnie; and Rune, a charming watchman, who is sworn to protect her; as well as her bff, Ariadne, who will eventually learn about Belle being a witch.

The story follows Belle, as she learns to come into her magic and herself more. Arty turned into a wonderful (elder) who was always helpful working with Belle, and teaching her how to build up her magic. I love Rune, who was determined to be the protector, while at the same time, found himself falling for Belle. Both Belle’s mother, as well as her friend, Ariadne were great. I also got a kick out Jinx, Belle’s cat.
The two sister witches with one determined to have Belle’s magic removed, but the other sister turns out even worse later on. Things got difficult when the evil begins to bring the coven down, and Belle will have to bring her magic forward to save everyone. The last third of the book was extremely exciting, with Belle’s powers rising to stop the evil sisters.

Rewitched was a wonderful, heartwarming, paranormal story, though a bit slow early on. It is a story of healing, building self-confidence, accepting their ability and learning to love. Rewitched was very well written by Lucy Jane Wood, as this was a cozy fantasy that was wonderful tale of family and slow-burn romance. The end was very exciting, with a magical and fantastic read.