The cover is what initially brought me in! This is a perfect plan of cozy fantasy and dark humor. I laughed out loud while reading and that doesn't happen often!

Especially funny! This story has it all: an unappreciated woman, tired of being married to a useless lump of a man, on the precipice of purpose and freedom, a talking farm animal, and goofy, little magical creatures. I found the writing lovely and a breeze to get through, the pacing nice and steady, and the humor witty and present on nearly every other page, it seems. Rooting for our heroine was easy to do, though the real show stealers, in my opinion, were Grimalkin and Bottom. The footnote mechanic threw me off just slightly - I haven't actually read a book that implemented it - but even those were fun to read, if not a bit distracting sometimes.

While the content of this book isn't revolutionary or life-altering in any way, it is a very fun read - perfect for anyone just looking for a blast of amusement with some fantasy elements tossed in.

Thank you Netgalley and W. W. Norton and Company for this ARC! Thank you Oliver Darkshire for making me laugh out loud more than once through the duration of this novel. Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil is set to publish on May 13, 2025!

This was a delightful read. I returned to it, stared at the cover multiple times on the Netgalley shelves, and decided to take a shot in the dark. I loved the cover and the title, which is quirky.
I found myself legitimately laughing aloud while reading and being surprised at how loveable this cranky old woman is. It looked like it would be an absolute villain arc for these characters, but this was sincerely a cozy fantasy with a light washing of dark humor. The rest of the humor was plenty of puns, clever jokes, and funny situations. If a person is looking for something reasonably lighthearted and short (with a pleasant amount of lore, mind you), this is the book!
Thank you, Netgalley, for this great read!

I received an arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts are my own. This is a cozy fantasy novel about the heroine Isabella from the Decameron. I enjoyed this! I thought the story of agency and finding yourself was very well done, considering Isabella escapes a loveless marriage. I also thought this was funny, in a very clever sort of way. There are a ton of fantasy elements in this so at times, I was a little lost. The footnotes were a little excessive to me, but I understood their purpose so it might just be a me thing. However, I was able to have fun while reading! It was pretty cute, it reminded me of a lot of old fairytales. I definitely recommend this to fans of high fantasy, cozy books, and silly/clever narration!

This story was so clever and magical and funny. I absolutely loved the cast of characters and all the little creatures we got to learn about. Isabella was fantastic. It felt like a grown up version of a children’s fantasy story that you’d read before bed every night and I loved that!

Read this early courtesy of #netgalley ARC.

I loved this book. I laughed out loud and I learned a new word “smaragdine… a word I need to add to my dictionary in iOS so that it stops trying to autocorrect it thinking it’s not a word. It is a word!

This was a quick, delightful read and it was just what I needed to add some levity and happiness in the new year. Folks who enjoy reading stories set in medieval times or quasi-medieval-ish wizard stories will enjoy all of the nods to classic literature featuring these aforementioned wizards. I described this book to a friend today as “clever funny” and I stand by that. I will likely read this again in the future as I enjoyed it that much…which is pretty much the highest praise I can offer.

As a gardener, I was immediately drawn to this book’s intriguing premise involving a mysterious pot of basil!

In Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil, the story follows Isabella, a woman on a journey to uncover the mystery behind a seemingly innocent pot of basil. What begins as a simple search for answers quickly spirals into a tale of family secrets, eerie happenings, and a connection to an ancient past. As Isabella navigates the strange events surrounding the plant, she discovers truths that are transformative.

Isabella is fierce, independent, and unapologetically herself—a protagonist you can’t help but root for, even as things take a gothic turn. The blend of whimsy and suspense was well-crafted, though there were a few moments that felt a bit chaotic. Nevertheless, the atmosphere and storytelling were compelling enough to make it a fun and intriguing read.

Thank you to NetGalley and W.W. Norton & Company for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil” centers around Isabella, a resilient woman living on a farm in a quaint village with her less-than-ideal husband. Her spouse, notorious for his inability to care for himself and constant complaining, makes life challenging. Despite the farm's lack of fruitful harvests, except for the mysterious mandrake leaves growing on a cursed stone, the story takes a captivating turn when the village wizard retires. Isabelle stumbles upon spell books in his abandoned home and becomes intrigued by the possibilities they hold.

This book had me completely enthralled from start to finish. The vivid descriptions of village life, culture, and history were so immersive that I felt transported to that world. Each character was richly developed, allowing me to envision them with ease.

Ultimately, I believe the book is a profound narrative about the power of self-reinvention and the courage to start anew, regardless of societal expectations. It beautifully illustrates how one can embark on a new chapter in life, on one's own terms.

Wish I could have kept reading on Isabella’s next adventures!

I try to not DNF too many ARCs as I am grateful for any that I request to be approved, but some books are just not to everyone's taste I guess. I can see the appeal of this book. It is written with sarcastic humor and wit and I can appreciate that! However, something just wasn't working for me and I'm not entirely sure why.

It could potentially be just that the book is ill-suited for electronic delivery. I found the line breaks and the sometimes red, sometimes not "foot notes" to be confusing. I plan to try to read this book again when I can get my hands on a physical copy.

This was a really hilarious cozy fantasy that had an extremely relatable character in Isabella. I fully adored the entire cast of characters and all the funny chaos that happened.