I felt that the book was quite slow and, whilst beautifully written, didn't feel like much was happening at first. At some point, I must have been engaged as by the end I was crying my eyes out! A really well written book, perhaps a little light on plot but really readable and moving.

I don't consider fantasy as a genre that I read; HOWEVER,  I always love Hoffman's books.  The Rules of Magic, like all of her books, mix together reality and fantasy.  Not only is the story good, but equally important for me is that the characters are 'real' and hold true to the story she is telling.  Through fantasy, Hoffman makes us aware that fear, love, hate, anger, sadness all play a significant role in our behaviors - often more important than reason.  The other thing the book illustrates is that you can not change who you are even if you are uncomfortable or unsure.  One's true self always 'wins'.

As a fan of the Practical Magic movie, I was intrigued by the idea of a prequel looking at the lives of the Aunts. I hadn't read the original book, but now I HAVE to. This was a wonderful story, not just of magic but of family and sacrifice. What choices do we make when we think we know how things will end? What do we loose because of the choices we make and the ones we don't. I loved this book so much more than I expected. The characters are so vivid and the emotions so raw. Beautiful story that was lovingly told.

I don’t give 5-star reviews often, but this one earned all 5 stars for me.  I’d never read Practical Magic, but had seen and loved the movie and it’s been on my TBR list forever.  When I had the opportunity to read this prequel, it just made sense to read it first, and I’m so happy I did.  I loved reading about the girls who would become “The Aunts”, and about their equally interesting, and talented, brother.  This book is evocative and fascinating and heartbreaking and, well, just lovely.  As I read it, I knew I’d be diving into Practical Magic as soon as I was done - and that’s exactly what I did.  There were a couple of interesting disconnects between the aunts' stories in the prequel and what was said about them in the second book.  But that didn’t make me love this book any less.  I highly recommend it.
Copy provided by Netgalley and Simon & Schuster in exchange for an unbiased review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for allowing me to read The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman. Living a full life and finding love isn't always easy in our everyday world, but add a little magic and life gets very interesting! In 1620, Maria Owens was charged as a witch for loving the wrong man. Now, over 100 years later, the descendants are finding out that they have some very similiar abilities that leave them ostracized by the neighbors and afraid to fall in love. Aunt Isabelle acts as mentor and friend to Frances, the oldest, Bridget, called Jet, and their very handsome, carefree brother, Vincent. Their lives and magical skills are tested as each finds and tries to avoid true love, as tragedy strikes and they attempt to build their lives stronger, minus true love. This book is so entertaining and heartfelt. I loved the characters and their lives and read this book quickly. I look forward to more stories by Alice Hoffman.

I have never read Practical Magic, but fortunately The Rules of Magic can truly stand alone.  The stories of Vinny, Franny, and Jet are timeless and universal, even though these magical siblings have both skills and problems that others could never imagine.  Every sentence in this book is beautifully written.  I hated when the book was finished, though now I get to go read Practical Magic.  A must read for fans of Alice Hoffman.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman is the prequel to her 1995 bestseller Practical Magic. It is the story of three siblings: Frances “Franny.” Bridget “Jet,” and Vincent, the only son born after centuries of daughters. Their mother, Susanna, is a part of the Boston Owens family who have been accused of being witches for centuries. She ran away from home and married a psychiatrist and settled in New York City. She gave her children very specific rules to follow and as the children got older, one by one the rules were broken. One summer, when Franny turned 17, the siblings went to stay with their Aunt Isabelle in Boston. There they learned their family’s history and discovered their own unique powers. When they return home, they know that life as they knew it was over and the three, in their own way, deal with their new knowledge. Until one day, tragedy strikes and the siblings have a choice before them. Do they fully embrace their heritage or do they hide and deny their history?
I was invited to read The Rules of Magic because I have reviewed two of Ms. Hoffman’s books before. While I have never read Practical Magic, I accepted the invitation because I had enjoyed Ms. Hoffman’s books. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy The Rules of Magic. I felt it was drawn out with pages and pages of nothing. At first, I was intrigued and eagerly read as I was introduced to the family and their abilities. However, the constant hints at why the family has been ostracized in Boston and why a certain family draws fear in some of the Owens family. I had enough. I could not finish it. I no longer cared about Franny, Jet or Vincent. The book did not intrigue me enough to seek out Practical Magic. I read other reviews and many gave this book a glowing review and I’m not sure what I missed. If you are a fan of Practical Magic, you may enjoy the Rules of Magic. However, if you are not a fan, I do not recommend The Rules of Magic. 

The Rules of Magic 
will be available October 10, 2017
at all major booksellers

'The Rules of Magic' was a really fun and enjoyable read. We follow the three Owens children as they gradually become aware of what they are, where they came from, and what they are capable of. This is a book about family, love, loss, self-discovery, and self-acceptance. I loved all three of the Owens children, and Aunt Isabelle as well. I was sad when it ended, but am looking forward to now going back and reading 'Practical Magic'.  Highly recommended.

Franny, Jet, and Vincent always knew they were different. Birds flocked to Franny, Jet knew things, and everyone was obsessed with Vincent but it took a visit to Aunt Isabelle’s Massachusetts house the summer Franny turned 17 for them to begin to understand. They learned the rules, began to figure out what made them different, and became aware of the Owens curse. A story of family and finding yourself and survival and finding love in spite of a curse.

I love all of Alice Hoffman's books and this is no exception. LOVED returning to Magnolia Street and learning the history of the aunts and their very charming brother. I was enraptured by this enchanting book

This is a beautiful book, I really enjoyed it. The Owens family humanity and bravery stays with me.

I am partial to Alice Hoffman's writing but that did not  impair my opinion  of this book. 

Fun and fantastic and magical,  this is a lovely story that captures  perfectly the lives of the Owen Children ( this is a prequel to Practical Magic).  I recommend you first read Practical Magic though it isn't necessary because  this can be read as a standalone book. 

Highly entertaining

I really wanted to enjoy this book after loving "Practical Magic" when it was first released. However, I just couldn't get past the writing in the book. The emotions characters felt seemed flat and boring, which was strange considering so many out-of-the-ordinary events happened to these characters! I also had trouble with the timeline--it's very hard to follow in that all of a sudden, 6 months to 3 or more years would pass, and all there would be is a sentence that mentions the characters were older or some event lets you know that time has passed. Ultimately, I just didn't care much for the characters and what was happening.

I was so excited when I saw this book!  I love Practical Magic so was super keen to get started on The Rules of Magic - and I was not disappointed.  It was filled with spells, potion and magic just as I had hoped.  The characters were amazing and the story was well developed.  Just loved it.

This was a gorgeous read. It had mystery, romance, good food and a spell of upbeat humour which is tempered by a few bumps in the road and downright tragedy. It was a pun but this book really did have spells too. Rules of Magic is the prequel to Practical Magic but no knowledge of one will not upset the other. 
One summer an special invitation arrives to a young girl to spend the summer with her aunt. Her siblings decide to journey along with their sister and so begins their initiation into the world of sorcery and wizardry. FYI they had an inkling that they were a little different to other folk! You don't have to love witches and magic to enjoy this story, it is the age old eternal story of love and how to navigate life's bumps and forks in the road. Alice Hoffman writes beautifully and this is a book you will not want to miss. My favourite read of the summer. Many thanks to the author, publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this magical read.

I’ve always loved walking into Alice Hoffman’s books; being the fly on the wall, witnessing the humanity and shocking reality of the world she so clearly defines. Every one of her books has been a memorable journey, and reaching the last page requires a few moments to ponder what I just lived thru.
Rules of Magic maintains Hoffman’s ability to bring you into her story. This book turns the clock back a few years and details the childhoods of the Owens siblings, Franny, Jet and Vincent. This is the prequel to Hoffman’s’ much-loved Practical Magic, issued in 1996. We live thru the children’s young developmental years and watch as they mature thru the angry, confusing and very painful teen years.
The Owens curse states that any man who falls in love with an Owens woman will meet a terrible and untimely death. In their efforts to save the ones they love from this inevitable horror, the sisters try to control their emotions. They learn that, although they’re all quite proficient in controlling their magic, they have absolutely no control over their love for others.
Vincent is a rebel. The description of him, his style, and his grace brings his character to life. You love him, then he does something so cruel and heartless, you feel anger towards him and wonder how his sisters survive living under the same roof with him.
Franny and Jet have very different personalities, but their love and concern for one another carries them thru many cruel lessons as they age. The kids learn to live alone at a young age, and their perseverance is relentless.
The stalwart character thru the years is their Aunt Isabelle in Massachusetts. There, they learn how to fine-tune the potions, the spells and incantations. Aunt Isabelle is a strong and loving presence for the siblings.
It isn’t required to read Practical Magic before you read Rules of Magic. The story will flow beautifully if you read this new book first, and then move on to the sequel. I strongly recommend Alive Hoffman to anyone who enjoys a serious, engrossing and detailed read; all of her characters come to life and you’ll enjoy the respite from your daily demands.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for making it available.)

I love reading anything by Alice Hoffman, so I was so excited to get an advance e-copy of this book. Once again, Alice Hoffman will not disappoint. I have not read Practical Magic yet. You do NOT have to read that book first to enjoy this prequel. Of course, now that I have finished this one, I cannot wait to read Practical Magic.
This story takes place in 1960's NYC and also in Massachusetts. Franny, Jet and Vincent are all Owens children/teenagers which means they have the bloodline of witches in them. On Franny's seventeen birthday she is invited to her Aunt Isabelle's home in MA. Their mother has tried to keep them from learning about their heritage, but fate is not to be deterred. As the three Owens children learn about the curse that will destroy anyone they love, we journey through a beautifully atmospheric tale of love, loss and family. I highly recommend this book to everyone. I received an e-copy from Netgalley.com

Five Stars*****

What joy to know that there was now a prequel to the wonderful story in "Practical Magic!" Jet and Franny were absolutely amazing characters and I was so happy to re-visit them and learn all about their past.
This prequel takes the reader back to the late 50s when the Owens children are being raised in NYC by their mother Susanna Owens. Desperately trying to fit in, she makes sure that her children follow the rules in order to fit in. However, Franny, Jet, and their brother Vincent know deep down that they are different. Try as they may, they can't hide the magic they know they hold inside. They are also curious to know their past, where their family truly comes from, and what the future holds. From curious youngsters to rebellious teenagers, and on to adults the journey for the Owens siblings is always full of wonder.
This book was everything I was hoping for! There is magic, hope, loss, tragedy, and above all things love. I truly loved this story, and was sorry to have to put it down. I would recommend this read to any Alice Hoffman fan, along with any fan of simply great fiction.

This novel "The Rules of Magic" is a prequel to one of Ms Hoffmann's best loved books "Practical Magic". In this delightful story we visit with Franny and Jet when they are young. You may remember them as the older aunts from "Practical Magic". As always Alice Hoffmann spins a lovely story weaving magic and love within it. A must read for every reader!