The concept of this book was interesting and unique. The mystery was fun and the sister dynamics were intriguing. I can see some frustration with the fmc being self sabotaging which got old, but I didn't think it ruined the book for me. It's a quick and fluffy urban fantasy book with some small town vibes too that give it a unique feel!

“In that moment, she knew, with a bone-deep certainty, that this was what home felt like.”

Impractical Magic by Emily Gilmore is a whimsical and heartwarming exploration of family, self-discovery, and the quirks of modern witchcraft. Gilmore masterfully blends humor with heartfelt moments, creating a story that feels both magical and deeply relatable. I found that it was the perfect a cozy mix of Gilmore Girls and Halloween! It was jam packed with small town vibes, a family of witches, and second chances. Although I LOVED the romance, my favorite part of this book was the dynamic between the sisters.

I am so grateful for this book but it was unfortunately not for me. I appreciate it and see it’s allure to others.

Some of the things that I enjoyed about this book were the overall vibes and the cheesy components as I personally love a themed corny romance. What made this book a bit boring for me overall was the characters. I just found them to be a bit bland and felt like I wanted more constantly. The plot just didn't really go anywhere for me and I didn't find myself itching to get back into the book however I do think this is a good seasonal book.

Such an easygoing read full of magic and the importance of family values. Based around Scarlett’s return to her cosy small home town with an element of second-chance romance thrown in for good measure. I found the characters really natural and reminded me of my own sisters and how different we are all from each other, but how family ties us altogether and we would do anything for each other in a time of need. Just the perfect read for autumn and change in seasons. ✨ Thank you Emily and Avon Books for access to this eARC ✨

Thank you the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review. Cute if you’re looking for an easy, fall read.

I loved the overall vibe of Impractical Magic especially the adorable town! Who hasn’t had a plan go awry? Fun and cozy, this is your perfect fall read!

This was such a fun installment in the new crop of witchy, supernatural romcoms. Cozy, heartfelt, and full of magic—loved it!

Alright, this was really a 1.5 star rounded up. As a fan of Gilmore Girls, Charmed, and witchy romances, I felt like this title was right up my alley. Here’s the thing though— the plot was an interesting idea, but I did not enjoy this book. At all. This needed so much more editing, and the characters themselves needed an overhaul.

There were a lot of points in this book where I literally scratched my head and said “why would you do that?” Or, “now is not the time?!” I think the dialogue was meant to mirror the fast-paced quips in Gilmore Girls, but it did not pass muster. So many conversations were stilted and awkward, or felt out-of-character (looking at you, Mama). There was little to no character growth, and while the side characters could’ve been delightful, they mostly felt like cardboard cutouts.

There were also so many moments when our lead struggled with her reputation, but then went and did a bunch of dumb stuff that really reinforced WHY she had a reputation, and I have very little patience for that in books. Accidents happen, but Scarlett made so many intentionally dumb decisions. Who chases someone through Vegas and stops to play slots and eat at a buffet? Truly nonsensical. Even at the very end, she was so flippant and dismissive of her family. Not a fan.

And finally, I think it’s super weird to take a marginalized group (the magicians), and make them the antagonists? Like, witches already have all the power, they have all these prejudices and speak so dismissively about magicians, and like… I’m supposed to root for the witches? It felt super off-putting.

If this wasn’t a title I’d received an ARC of, I honestly would’ve DNFed it. Never trust a book with a reference to Trump.

P.S. I would not classify this as grumpy/sunshine or a slow burn. If I haven’t convinced you not to read this title, at least know that the book blurb is lying to you.

I would give this a 2.5/5 rating. Overall I think the story was cute and fun, and the characters were cutesy and lovable…..but man was this hard to get through. While the story and the characters worked, the way this was written made it nearly impossible to finish. I have read several reviews saying that the writing is just not it, and I have to agree with it. I wanted so much to be able to give this a 5/5, but the writing was so hard to overlook.

When I think Gilmore Girls, I think of the mom and daughter relationship that conquers everything. Though there was a small town with town meetings and a town selectman, This was not Gilmore Girls unless the relationship was that of Lorelei and Emily.
The story was fairly predictable but not bad. I am a bit tired of the stories where the main character comes back to their home town & their family still treats them like they're the kids they were when they left years before.
The characters were mostly good. & The story was interesting enough to read the full book. It was a cute witchy read, just not everything I was hoping for when compared to Charmed and Gilmore Girls.

Impractical Magic was everything I would want in a cozy read. The second chance romance blended with a slight hint of romance-com was well executed. Seeing the chaos of Scarlett’s magic was very entertaining. Seeing the turmoil between Nate and Scarlett was on par for the traditional romance entanglement.

The political references was not my cup of tea. There were moments where the dialogue was a bit choppy and confusing. With a touch of editing, this would be a great read.

Love a magical read and a great concept but I just found this book quiet hard to read. It didn't grasp my imagination at times as much as it could of and I sadly gave up before the finish. I think I will wait for the book to be released then try again

Far too many clunky and cringe-inducing cultural references. Characters with inconsistent emotional reactions. The romance itself was fine. The best part of this book was the second to last chapter, which was actually beautiful and tender, but everything else felt like it was AI-written.

Cozy, cute, and such a fun read! Perfect for fans of small town cozy magic.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Impractical Magic had the perfect cozy, charming premise for an October read. The story follows Scarlett, who returns home after ten years to find that while her family has barely changed, the magic in the town is off and her childhood friend Nate is now a super hunk.
Despite negative reviews, I didn’t think this book was that bad. It has strong family themes, second-chance romance, magic, and it touches on grief. With its blend of urban fantasy, pop culture references, and small-town charm, it’s the perfect pick for fans of magic and romance.

3.5 stars
A cute witchy story, there are lots of books similar to this one. It was enjoyable but took me a while to really get into.

Impractical Magic by Emily Grimoire is a perfectly playful trip to the cutest magical town, Oak Haven. After 10 years away, Scarlett Melrose is summoned back to Oak Haven by her two sisters who are trying to figure out why there seems to be something messing with the magic in Oak Haven. From there, we get very relatable family drama, messy enchanted mishaps, a little romance, and a small town cast of characters that I immediately fell in love with.

The blurb said this book is perfect for fans of Erin Sterling and Lana Harper, and it couldn't have been more accurate! Highly recommend.

This book was a mix of small town romance and a witchy mystery in a fun way!

Scarlett is returning home (aka the bed and breakfast her family owns) at the request of her eldest sister. Bad things are afoot in her small town that brings back all sorts of traumatic memories for Scarlett, since the last time they were tasked with fishing the town’s magic, her father ended up dead. She also had to abandon her childhood sweetheart, Nate, to run away to the mundane world. This weird witchy world is… definitely odd in an interesting way.

Scarlett and Nate were my favorite part of this book. They didn’t get enough romance time due o the life threatening magic issues they were forced to face, but what we did get was great. Scarlett has to work through buckets of problems in this book - her family issues, unspoken resentment, misunderstandings and blame, and also Scarlett’s magical self-confidence. All of this culminates in the book’s ending, which, while HEA-like, really took you on a journey to get there!

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me, I just couldn’t get into it at all. I’ll try to revisit at another time though.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the arc. 🫶🏻