it's kind of unfair and rude to be like, oh this one doesn't live up to the first one, but... this one doesn't quite live up to the first one. yes, there's a cute cottage, a wacky yet unconditionally loving found family and a cozy romance, but i feel like this one wasn't quite as cozy and swoony as the last one? my expectations were pretty high for this one (i literally could not shut up about the first), so that certainly didn't help.

not sure if i'm overanalyzing, but "the very secret society of irregular witches" is tagged as a romance, whereas this one is simply categorized as fiction. i do feel that is an accurate categorization, though i found myself wishing for more romance in this one. while the main characters get together, it's certainly not the main focus (or even the secondary) of this book.

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping* enchants with its cozy charm, whimsical world-building, and quirky cast. Sera Swan, powerless after forbidden magic, runs an inn with her resurrected aunt and eccentric residents. Themes of found family and resilience shine, bolstered by humor and a slow-burn romance. Though pacing stumbles at times, the warmth and magic make it a delightful escape.

It's a cute cozy story about a witch who loses her powers after saving her aunt's life. She attempts to regain her powers and free another witch that is stuck in the form of a fox, all while being banished from her coven. While attempting all these feats, she runs an inn that only attracts those who need it, and an old acquaintance ends up on her door step.

This is a funny and cozy book about determination, love, and finding the strength to persevere and change in different eras of life. A nice quick read that has a happy ending.

I loved this book from the beginning. I'm a sucker for cozy books and this one did not disappoint. It is a book I have added to my recommendations list, along with The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.

I loved this book!! It was exactly the vibes I wanted it to be. Silly, fun, hopeful, but with moments of deep sincere emotional importance. I love the characters, I love their banter, and the way they loved each other so deeply. Clemmie pissed me off so bad which I know was kind of her thing but I really couldn't vibe with her character.

This story about found family, second chances, and finding your rightful place in this crazy world was fantastic. It hit me in right in all my feels. It made me cry, laugh, and on several occasions, it made me truly angry. Mandanna creates stories that you can’t help wanting to be a part of. If I came across an inn like this I would never leave. The characters were wonderfully loveable and diverse. I wanted to know more about all of their lives. Between this and The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches she has became a must read author for me. I

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

More of a 3.5. I liked this, just as I liked The Secret Society of Irregular Witches. They're sometimes a little too cutsey/corny for my liking but they do scratch an itch every once in a while, such as right now when I'm sad all the time. I like the themes I just wish they were a little less on-the-nose and I also wanted more development of the romance. I loved the autistic rep in this one, with one character who is explicitly autistic and two others who are heavily implied to be (in my opinion), and this showed the spectrum of autism really well.

This is such a beautiful book. This book has everything that a perfect cozy fantasy needs. I loved the found family. The characters came right off the page and made me fall in love with them.

Sangu Mandanna has a GIFT!!!! This was the opposite of a book hangover. This was a total book high. I finished this book on a freaking cloud.

This book is filled with whimsy, magical curses, and characters you will absolutely fall in love with. If you read Mandanna’s last book, you will love this. This has such a wonderfully cozy feel. Every single character you come across is complex.

There is nothing I did not love about this book!

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping was a charming and whimsical read filled with humor, heart, and just the right amount of magic. Sera Swan was a wonderfully grumpy yet lovable protagonist, and her journey of self-discovery and second chances was both engaging and heartwarming.
The setting of the enchanted inn was pure magic, brimming with quirky guests, a mischievous talking fox, and the cozy chaos of found family. The slow-burn romance between Sera and Luke was delightful—his icy demeanor melting against her fiery spirit made for a compelling dynamic.
While the plot meandered at times, the warmth of the story and its enchanting atmosphere more than made up for it. Fans of cozy fantasy and heartfelt, magical adventures will adore this book.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I've been looking forward to this title for a while! What a delightful read. I need a Roo-Roo in my life and would love to visit the house and all it's characters. It was a great story and the character development was just right. I look forward to more by this author!

This was fun and SO real! I love the idea that we've all lost a little of our magic in life, and especially as adults! This was a fun way to bring that perspective back. <3

I really enjoyed this book — every character felt real and like they could pop out of the pages any minute. I love a cast of eclectic side characters so much. Sera and Luke have my entire heart. I almost wish we got to see a bit more of their relationship progress, but overall I loved this book. My only complaint would be the “FMC loses her powers at the end of the book” trope. It’s done differently, and admittedly much better, here, but it’s still a trope I strongly dislike. However, it didn’t take away from the magic of this book.

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is a delightful, cozy fantasy filled with humor, heart, and a cast of quirky, unforgettable characters. Sera Swan, once a powerful witch, now runs the Batty Hole Inn after a forbidden act of magic stripped her of her powers. Alongside her resurrected Aunt Jasmine, a fox-turned-witch, a mushroom-loving guest, a wannabe knight, her mischievous cousin Theo, and the ever-iconic zombie rooster Roo-Roo, Sera has made a life for herself.

This book shines in its whimsical world-building and its themes of found family, second chances, and self-acceptance. The inn itself is enchanting, and the antics of its residents make for a warm and often laugh-out-loud reading experience. The slow-burn romance between Sera and Luke Larsen adds an extra layer of charm, though it remains more of a subplot to the novel’s larger themes.

That said, the pacing felt uneven at times. The first half meandered, and while the cozy, slice-of-life moments were enjoyable, I expected more emphasis on the plot development which felt a little absent initially. Some plot elements—particularly the ending—felt a bit underwhelming. Additionally, while the book does a great job of tackling deeper themes like immigration, bigotry, and societal acceptance, there were moments where certain character arcs felt more like political statements than organic parts of the story.

Overall, this is a heartwarming and magical read that will appeal to fans of cozy fantasy, found families, and whimsical adventures. While it didn’t completely capture the same magic as The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, which was a 5 star read for me, it’s still a charming tale worth picking up—especially if you dream of running an enchanted inn filled with misfit magic. Find this on shelves July 15!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the complimentary eARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved this light, uplifting, quirky and unashamedly magic book, just as I did her previous book “The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.” Sera Swan is a young and powerful witch who resurrects her recently dead great aunt (a big no-no) and is stripped of her magic and guild membership. Reduced to managing the highly and eccentrically enchanted Inn, she tries to find her magic again with the help of an oddball collection of Inn denizens — a scheming witch trapped in a fox body, a geriatric oddball and part time Hobbit, a would-be knight in somewhat shiny armor, some undead rooster bones to name a few. It’s really about family, doing the right thing even when it hurts, understanding your own vulnerabilities and shifting life goals. I was very impressed with that last bit — there aren’t many real happy ever afters in the world, but by understanding what is actually important you can be awfully darn happy (A Rolling Stones song comes to mind…)

*Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

I think Sangu Mandanna's books should be prescribed as antidepressants, because dangggggg. They're cozy warm hugs that give you just the biggest squeeze right before you close the back cover.

I really identified with Sera. At some point, we all feel like we've lost our magic. (Though in Sera's case of course, it's a bit more literal.) But of course, I also saw myself in Luke: the black cat librarian just trying learn a bunch of things. The cast of characters is charming as always, though I really loved Clemmie, Posy, and Matilda most of all. It's a great mix of fantasy, romance, and mystery as we unravel the spell that could restore Sera's magic. I love a riddle, sue me!

I hope that we get to keep reading books in this magical universe, but I'm happy to reread these while we wait.

It pains me so much to say this, but this just didn't hit for me as much as I was hoping that it would. The Very Secret Society for Irregular Witches is truly one of my favorite books from the last year, and I expected to find that same connection in this novel. I think that I just went in with too high expectations. I thought there would be more...innkeeping? I thought the heart with the the found family aspect was there, but I just didn't feel as attached to the characters as I hoped. It had some really fun big set pieces- the ball, the cozy inn, and more. But I think at the end of the day, there are going to be other books I read this year that moved me more. I'm really disappointed this was my experience, because I feel for the author that this release has been pushed so many times and it's building a lot of unexpected anticipation. For what it's worth, I think that other folks will find this to be a perfect match. It just wasn't for me!

This was a beautiful story of love and loss, found families, and hardship. Sera saved her great aunt from death and in doing so loses most of her magic. Through the story she struggles with losing this huge piece of herself, while fighting to get it back, and thankfully she had help along the way. The quirky people that find themselves at her inn made one of the cutest found families I’ve ever seen. I loved this story so much Sangu definitely writes with her whole heart and I’m so greatful I got to read this!!

How do I gain magical powers to transport myself into this story because I never wanted it to end

This book gives cozy meets intriguing plot and magic with a sprinkle of romance. Sangu has a way of writing and weaving a story that the minute you open her books you are immediately sucked in.

I loved Sera, low key want a mummified rooster as a pet also and would love to stumble upon her magical inn to meet amazing people, sit around her table for toast and tea and plot mischief.

This was one of my favorite books of the year and I need more


Thank you NetGalley, Berkeley and Sangu for the opportunity to read an advanced copy

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping was an absolute delight. I devoured it in the most heartwarming, cozy sort of way. Whimsical, charming, and hilarious, it was more than I could’ve hoped for.