This was an excellent whimsical and cozy fantasy. I think this is a delightful read for cozy fantasy readers and folks new to the genre alike.

In particular, I thought the audiobook narration was particularly well done. I don't know how to better explain this, but the voices perfectly embodied the character's personality and attitudes. It felt like like listening to a movie.

This was a fun read/listen, and it got me out of a reading slump.
We follow Leovander and Sebastian as they try to find a way to undo a curse that was brought to life when they had to work together. They encounter fantastical creatures, bandits, and unstable magic as they try to find a sorcerer to undo the curse.
I enjoyed the storytelling, the plot was simple and flowed well. The world building was good, and it wasn't too hard to understand. The banter was cute, and the characters kept me entertained (especially Leovander).
Give this one a try if you're looking for something entertaining and not too heavy.

Meh. It was fine. The story was fine. It was better once the leads headed into the forest, but the lead up took too long and it read too much like some sort of Harry Potter fanfiction for me to really get into it. I did like the ending, and I would be more interested in the story of the forest and the beasts there and the magical music casting than I am in anything else that happened with this story.

Didn't vibe with this narration, but the plot made up for it! I enjoyed the chemistry with the characters and want to read more set in this world!

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this advanced copy.
I really love the story and it was even better with audiobook, the narrator really makes the story becomes alive

Oh nooo…they hate each other. That’s teeeerrible….
I don’t read a lot of fantasy anymore because usually I don’t have the brain power, but this one was a total win!
A magical school, where a chaotic bisexual is forced to work with his nemesis, the serious brooding Mr. always perfect.
A magical systems that’s easy to understand and actually explained within the first few chapters so even my one remaining braincell could understand it.
From „whoops I accidentally cursed my enemy“ and then needing to get rid of said curse again, to these two bonding over childhood trauma in the dark and dangerous woods full of magical creatures, to being so emotionally constipated they can’t even tell each other they’re in love after they saved each others lives. This was absolutely perfect and I need the next book immediately! The best thing is that there’s not a super mean cliffhanger, so I might actually survive the wait time.
If you loved A marvellous light or Carry on you’ll love this too, because this was the best mix out of these two. Easily my favourite fantasy book I read this year!

So, I just finished this audiobook, and let me tell you: chef’s kiss! 😌 First off, the narration by Ciaran Saward? Spot. On. 🎙️ They captured Leo’s snarky charm, Grimm’s “I’m-too-cool-for-this” vibes, and even the tension bubbling between them (hello, rivals-to-maybe-more). If you’re picky about audiobook narrators, don’t worry—Saward nails it.

Now, about the story: Sorcery and Small Magics is like if enemies-to-lovers and magical chaos had a baby. Leo Loveage, our disaster mage, can summon butterflies and turn your hair pink, but anything beyond “cute party tricks” blows up in his face. Literally. So, of course, he accidentally binds himself to his insufferably perfect rival, Sebastian Grimm. 😬

Cue their misadventures: they bicker (a lot), they dive into a spooky forest full of monsters, and they try to undo the curse that’s basically career-ending for both of them. Oh, and while all this is happening, there’s just a little spark of attraction between them. It’s messy, it’s magical, and it’s so fun. 🦋✨

What I loved:

The dynamic between Leo and Grimm. It’s peak “ugh, I hate you—but also, maybe I don’t?!”
The Unquiet Wood. Think haunted, dangerous, and weirdly beautiful.
The humor! Leo’s inner monologue is an absolute riot.
Why not a full 5 stars? The pacing got a little uneven toward the middle. One minute we’re racing through cursed woods; the next, it’s like, “Oh, let’s stop for tea.” But honestly? The banter and emotional depth more than made up for it.

If you’re into magical mishaps, loveable disasters, and just a hint of romance, give this one a listen. You’ll laugh, you’ll gasp, and you’ll probably end up wishing you could summon butterflies, too.

This was a fun, cozy fantasy that checked a lot of boxes. It’s got academic rivals, magic going awry, heartache, absurdness, monsters, and more. I quite liked the magic of this world and how it was incorporated. The spell writing and casting was interesting and was an element that added much to the story, and the musical incorporation was a strong bonus. The worldbuilding was strong enough to support the story, though not as in-depth as true fantasy lovers may like.

I liked that the author chose to spend time building the relationship, making it a true rivals romance and very much a slowburn. Both the characters are a little difficult to like at times, but that allows there to be good character growth during this book and they balance each other well.

If you’re looking for an easy, cozy fantasy with a slowburn romance, then you’ll probably enjoy this one. My thanks to NetGalley and Orbit books for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

*4 stars*

This was whimsical and delightful! While not without stakes I would categorize this as a cozier read with a very interesting magic world. I found this to be funnier than I expected, with fun banter between the two main characters. If you’re looking for a romance with resolution though you might be disappointed. I will definitely be excitedly awaiting book two.

The narration of the audiobook was excellent, I really like Sawards narrations and I think it fit perfectly with this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ALC of this work. All opinions in this review are my own.

“Sorcery and Small Magics” by Maiga Doocy is a charming fantasy romance that blends magic, humor, and a touch of romance. The story follows Leo, a bumbling sorcerer, and Grimm, his stern and serious rival, as they are forced to work together to break a curse that binds them.

The world-building is imaginative, with a unique magic system and a captivating setting. The author skillfully balances moments of high-stakes adventure with lighter, more comedic scenes. The slow-burn romance between Leo and Grimm is sweet and believable, developing naturally as they learn to trust and rely on each other.

While the characters are endearing, some readers may find Leo's impulsive and often self-destructive behavior frustrating. However, his growth throughout the story is satisfying to witness. The pacing can be a bit slow at times, but the well-developed world and engaging characters ultimately make up for it. All this, combined with Ciaran Saward’s amazing narration skills makes this a great story to listen to.

Overall, Sorcery and Small Magics is a delightful read for fans of fantasy romance. It's a cozy and heartwarming tale that will leave you smiling.

Hachette Audio | Orbit, NetGalley, and the editorial team - thanks for giving me the opportunity to review an audiobook ARC of this publication!

For more reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads!

#SorceryAndSmallMagics #NetGalley #LifeLongLearning

For some reason I went into this book thinking it was a standalone, so I was getting near the end of the book and feeling REAL nervous, but PHEW it's going to be a trilogy. So excited for that.

I love a good magic system in a book, and this one really worked for me. Great world-building, great characters, high stakes, weird creatures. Chef's kiss.

absolutely splendid! The audiobook was excellent--love the narrator!

I found myself completely engaged by the protagonists and their interactions. I enjoyed the world building and the magic system felt fresh and unique. It was such a lovely blend of adventure, romance, fantasy and written in such a cozy and engaging way! This was a book I finished in two days--I couldn't put it down.

Leo and Grimm felt like developed characters and their interactions--from grumpy enemies to a romantic relationship had a great progression and pacing as it progressed. Forced proximity, a spell gone wrong, magical mayhem, vulnerability, and trust--so much to love in this book. The slow burn was well done, the ibanter entertaining, and the world building fascinating. Interesting dynamics and world building.

Looking forward to more from this author!

While this was fun to read at times, and the audiobook narration was fine as well, it just didn’t have that captivating quality to keep me interested for long periods of time. I kept dropping it and took me a long while to finish. Maybe it just wasn’t for me.

This was a really wonderful and cozy time! I enjoyed the story and Leo and Grimm’s relationship was especially wonderful to see develop. The magic system and the world was fascinating and I look forward to seeing more of it in the future.

The narrator does a superb job of conveying Leo’s feeling throughout the story and was very engaging.

I loved this!! I hadn’t intended to finish it in one day but I just didn’t want the story to stop. The writing was fantastic, as was the audio narration.

Plotwise this was so much fun, we have a magic school setting and creepy magical woods with creepy magical creatures, and the magic that we get to see in both of these settings was very cool.

The main character playing the violin also plays a big part in the story and I always love books where we really get to explore a characters passions.

The relationship was lovely and I also just really liked both of our MCs, I’m very excited that there will be another book to look forward to.

Overall, this was everything I wanted it to be and more, very highly recommend.

This book was such a delightful blend of cozy fantasy, adventure, and romance—it’s like a warm cup of tea on a chilly day. The forced proximity trope was done so well, with just the right amount of banter and chemistry to keep me fully invested. The characters were charming and dynamic, and their interactions had me grinning more often than not.

The audiobook was an absolute treat. Ciaran Saward’s narration brought the story to life effortlessly, handling a diverse cast of characters with ease. Each voice was distinct without feeling exaggerated, making it easy to follow and thoroughly enjoyable to listen to. The production quality was also spot on, adding to the immersive experience.

If you’re looking for a cozy, feel-good fantasy with a dash of humor and heart, Sorcery and Small Magics is definitely worth picking up. It’s the kind of story that leaves you smiling long after you’ve finished it!

4.5 stars
This was so great! The perfect mix of cozy fantasy and adventure and romance. I loved the forced proximity, the banter, the characters.
More, please!

A charming and well-developed opening to a series - satisfying, but left me eager for the sequel.

The audiobook was well-produced, with a strong narrator and audio quality. There was a pretty wide cast of characters, but the narrator differentiated voices without going over-the-top.

What a dark horse! I did not expect to love this book the way I did. The narration was lovely, the characters were so interesting, and honestly it was just pure fun. I loved the slow burn romance, the banter was excellent, and it was just a really good time.

Sorcery and Small Magics is a charming queer fantasy romance that I wish I had loved more. The positives were absolutely the magic and the worldbuilding. Those parts of the story had me intrigued the entire time.

However, unfortunately, it was the characters that fell flat for me while reading this. I understand why Leo feels the way he does, and the way his trauma affects his magic is an interesting plot point to explore, but it is what he does due to his internal issues that is hard to read, especially in the beginning. He repeatedly decides to purposely mess up, and the secondhand embarrassment was intense enough to make me put the book down multiple times and not want to pick it back up. Because of the way Leo treats everyone around him, pushing everyone away, the side characters felt underdeveloped. Since this is a trilogy, hopefully the side characters get more of a chance to shine in later books.

I still think this is a good debut, and I know many readers whose personal tolerance for secondhand embarrassment is higher than mine will love this.