Advanced Reader copy - Enjoyed this book, really opened my eyes and made me seek out other similar books to read.

This is an excellent prequel to Practical Magic. I absolutely loved Practical Magic but I loved this even more.
I loved reading about more of the history of the Owens family and their relationship with each other and the people in their communities.
Alice Hoffman's writing is so beautiful and poetic. You can't help but fall into the pages and fall in love with all the characters.

A pretty decent prequel to Practical Magic but feels rushed. I wish the author had picked just one moment and concentrated on only that.

I loved this book.

Despite not having seen or read Practical Magic, which is the sequel to Rules of Magic, I was very interested in Rules of Magic when I first saw it on NetGalley. I am an Alice Hoffman fan even though I have not read all of her works.

The premise of Rules of Magic reeled me in and it delivered. I’ve never read a book which made me cry so much. I fell in love with the characters and their love interests and I felt their joys and pains as if they were my own.

To date, Alice Hoffman is the only author who can pull such a level of emotion out of me. She is an amazing story-teller through and through but its her writing style that throws me into an emotional rollercoaster of a ride.

In a nutshell, Rules of Magic was a well-written, entertaining read which in my opinion deserves 5 stars.

I read Practical Magic long ago and still remember the characters so fondly. I was excited to read a prequel and was so pleased I did. Hoffman allows us to get to know the old aunts (Jet and Franny) from the original book and follow their lives as they reach their late teens and are fully inducted into the Owens family secrets. I loved the setting - late 60s when young people were rebelling against parental constraints and exploring the world, while the Owens siblings were fighting to defy the curse which would mean their relationships would always end in a broken heart. I really enjoyed this book, loved getting to know the characters and may just re-read the earlier novel.

I read the sequel to this book Practical Magic and it is one of my absolute favourite books of all time. So I went into this prequel expecting to love it just as much, but I was sadly wrong. I’m in fact a little worried about the other Alice Hoffman books I have on my tbr pile.
I found this book to be really quite slow in its pacing, and quite a lot of the time I wasn’t actually sure what the plot of the book was. I felt that the plot jumped around a lot and it didn’t really have any flow. There were a lot of little story lines going on in this book most of which really didn’t come to any kind of satisfactory conclusion, they just meandered around to my mind.
I found that I didn’t bond with any of the characters, I found them a little dull and irritating a lot of the time. In fact I found them so similar to each other that I sometimes because confused as to who was talking. They all seemed to just wander around making the same daft mistakes over and over to the point where they just irritated me. Given how much I loved the aunts in Practical Magic I’m so surprised that I disliked them so much in this prequel, which is meant to be our introduction to them!
With regards the magical element it really only held a very slight amount of magical realism, nothing like the things that happen in Practical Magic. Every so often you felt that it was going to become more magical only for it all to be squashed by one of the three main protagonists.
Overall if I hadn’t been reading this one specifically to review it I would have probably DNFed it as I just could not get into it at all. I’m now really nervous about reading other books by this author.

Wow! How can I as an avid reader and lover of magic stories not read anything by Alice Hoffman before? Her use of language, settings and well-developed characters creates a world I did not want to leave. It left me wanting more. This book is spellbinding and the characters of Frances, Jet, and Vincent will stay with me for a long time. The Rules of Magic is the prequel to Practical Magic which was also adapted into a film starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock. This is waiting for me to watch because it was easier to source than the book as I am on a book buying ban until after Christmas. I have added stars, capitals to empathise to Father Christmas I need to read this book.
It revolves around 3 siblings Vincent, Jet, and Frances. All are unique, and have different talents but are all taught from a young age about the curse which hangs over the family."Do not fall in love" Easier said than done because love is an emotion that cannot be controlled.. You feel yourself rooting for the characters and hope fate will allow the curse not to apply to them so they can find true happiness.
It is a book to revisit and have on the bookshelf when you need to read about old friends.
I am pleased Alice Hoffman has an extensive back catalogue for me to explore and. I hope her other books are as magical as this one.

I really enjoyed this book. It definitely exceeded my expectations. I loved reading about Franny, Bridget and Vincent.

This novel spanned years and many bad things happened over the course of it which I can't go into as they are all major spoiler alerts. But what I can say is that none of the siblings have it easy and a lot of it surrounds the curse in their family in which they can't fall in love otherwise disaster will happen. There are a lot of sad moments and you really feel for the siblings but they learn through it all and discover things about themselves along the way.

I love the relationship between the siblings, they really support each other and help each other to hold things together. That was one of my favourite things about this book including Franny & Haylin. And Vincent is definitely one of my favourite characters.

Also you needn't have read the first book Practical Magic in order to read this as it still makes sense. It is a prequel after all.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with this in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I have been a fan of Alice Hoffman for decades now despite being able to take or leave magical realism on most occasions. This book did not disappoint and it was interesting to see the aunts' story. It didn't resonate with me so much as Practical magic did but then it has been twenty years - I am a different person now! Highly recommend for all fans of Alice Hoffman.

This is only my second Alice Hoffman novel and I enjoyed it far more than the first I'd read. I've never read Practical Magic but having seen the film I thought I should hopefully have enough passing knowledge to enjoy this. It was fantastic. Magic felt real in the world that Hoffman has built. It worked with its own internal logic and made the entire narrative completely, utterly believable. Ultimately this book was about choices. And I'm glad I made the choice to read it

This book is set before Practical magic and it explains so much without you even realising it. The story starts back in the Owens family and 3 children who were brought up in New York who don't realise they are witches. But they do know there is something as they can do things like birds coming on to hands and seeing what people are thinking. Soon they get a letter from Aunt Isabel and soon go to visit where you are not kept in line and can go to bed when you want, eat what you want and do what you want. but there are rules of some sort and a curse. The three children love the summer at Isabel's and hate when its over, but it never is quite over. The children have grown into who they should be and a whole new world has opened to them where they must fight to survive. Each character is brilliantly grown, which such individual traits, but also you can see the characters from Practical magic,,.. which I am so going to read again.

Well having been an avid fan of the film Practical magic i was delighted to read this book. It puts some bones on the Practical Magic story and is filled with good charachters. The author writes clearly with little filler. I would recommend this to others, it’s a delight.

I wanted to love this book.It started so well and there were parts I really enjoyed.I am a HUGE fan of Practical Magic so was so excited about this.Sadly,I found myself losing interest at times.The characters frustrated me a little and there was perhaps a little too much description for my liking.Not a bad book,but not one of my faves.

The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman has slotted itself easily into my list of my favourite books. It’s a beautiful story about witches and magic but also about family bonds and love.
I am a massive fan of the Practical Magic film, but I never realised it was a book until I saw this book advertised. I haven’t read the book yet, but it is now very high on my list of books I want to buy.
The Rules of Magic captured me right from the start and stayed with me long after I finished reading it.
I thought this book had the perfect beginning. As soon as I read the first sentence I had a feeling it was going to be my kind of book.
“Once upon a time, it was possible to run away from home, disguise who you were, and fit into polite society. The Children’s mother had done exactly that.”
One of my favourite things about Alice Hoffman’s writing is her ability to make you feel like you know her characters and care what happens to them. The Rules of Magic is about three siblings with some unusual magical abilities which their mother has done everything she can to try and supress in the hope they can have a normal life.
The children’s mother Susanna belonged to a prominent family in Boston by the name of Owens. Her ancestor Maria Owens arrived in America in 1680. When Maria had her son, no one knew who the father was, and her ancestors had equally dubious lineage. Husbands disappeared without a trace. Daughters begat daughters. Children ran off and were never seen again.
Susanna deliberately kept knowledge of the children’s special abilities from them and tried to bring them up as normally as possible in their New York home. She set down some rules for the children to follow.
“No walking in the moonlight no Ouija boards, no candles, no red shoes, no wearing black, no going shoeless, no amulets, no night-blooming flowers, no reading novels about magic, no cats, no crows, and no venturing below fourteenth street.”
Despite her best efforts though the children made it clear they were not like other children and refused to conform to her rules.
Franny was my favourite character. I think I identified with her the most as the oldest child especially because she felt quite protective over her siblings. Franny is the most sceptical over their abilities, she approaches it in a scientific way believing that their must be a logical explanation.
Jet, the middle child, appears to be quite innocent. She is kind-hearted and sensitive and loves stray cats.
Vincent is the youngest and most enigmatic member of the Owens family. From infancy he charmed everyone he met and in later life this charm meant that he was irresistible to women. In fact, Franny was the only one able to resist his charm and know what he was really up to.
Each of the siblings have their own unique talents. Vincent can see shadows of the future, Jet can see other people’s thoughts and Franny is the most talented of them all.
During the summer after her 17th birthday Franny is invited to visit her mother’s Aunt Isabelle and her siblings decide to join her. Aunt Isabelle’s is a house unlike any other they have known, a house without rules.
“Much to their delight it turned out she couldn’t care less about bad behaviour. Diet and sleeping habits meant nothing to her. Candy for breakfast if that’s what they desired. Soda pop all through the day. They could stay up until dawn if they wished and sleep until noon. They weren’t forced to tidy their rooms or pick up after themselves.
‘Do as you please,’ she told the siblings. ‘As long as you harm no one.’
Whilst at Aunt Isabelle’s the children learn about their talents and the legacy of Maria’s which means anyone who falls in love with them faces ruination.
I loved this book and couldn’t put it down.

I was like a kid at christmas when I found out there was a prequel - that I was going to find out about the AUNTS...and the first thing that blew my mind was the mention of Frances and Jet's brother Vincent. I never knew they had a brother - but seeing as neither of them had a child and yet they were known as the Aunts - then reason says that there had to be someone else to bear children to add to the generations. Instantly I was intrigued.

If you're a seasonal viewer/reader of Practical Magic then you'll know that the family have a curse, but no one really knew how this curse came about. In The Rules of Magic, we're taken on a journey right up until the moment the those two darling girls turn up on their Aunt's front porch, and throughout that journey glimpses of the origin of the curse is dropped like crumbs to lead Hansel and Gretel out of the forest.

What I wasn't expecting was the extent to how much my heart swelled and then broke through reading this book. It also left me with a hunger for more. That hunger is partly because we know the middle of the story, and know we know the start of the story - but what I want to know is what happens to Sally Owen's daughters after she find her man with "one green eye and one blue eye" in Practical Magic. Alice Hoffman has resurrected a much loved story of love, honour, curses and magic that we fell in love with through the reading of and our screens with the absolutely outstanding acting from Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock.

In The Rules of Magic we get to discover the darkness and heartbreak that surrounds the Owens family with especially poignant scenes from Jet's early childhood that had my heart breaking for the future that could have been for her. It warmed my heart just how true to herself and her feelings she was, and how much she honoured those feelings throughout her entire life.
Frances was always the "cold one" but, what Alice has down through the writing of The Rules of Magic is she's allowed us a glimpse into Frances mind and heart so we can see the reasons why she is in fact the way that she is, and to be perfectly honest I am shocked that she's not colder with everything she had to face as a child.

Vincent, Frances and Jet are truly remarkable characters, and ones whom I now adore even more than before which I didn't think was at all possible. I have a deeply profound respect for these three siblings, and that's because of the remarkable talent of Alice Hoffman who certainly knows how to write a bestseller. Each of them have gifts of 'sight' and the way in which these interplay with each other is beautiful. Each character is strong, independent and courageous with or without the special tea from their aunt whom we also get to meet.

Whilst the story is sprinkled with elements of magic, it is heavily blended with hidden love stories that in my opinion outweigh Romeo & Juliet. The love portrayed in The Rules of Magic is real, raw, pure, and undiluted. It's a love that's historically beautiful and recognisable.

I am undoubtedly awarding this book 5/5 and can only hope with eager anticipation that Alice and her publishers will consider a sequel to Practical Magic now, because I as I'm sure her readers will feel the same, would very much like to know what happens to the next generation of the Owens sisters.

From the wonderful author Alice Hoffman. This is the prequel to the amazing and enchanting book Practical Magic. I was so excited to not only have this book in existence but to be chosen to get an early copy to read. Of course I had to reread a childhood favourite 'Practical Magic' first. Rules of Magic is extremely captivating to read and such a magical adventure. A must read!

I’ve never read an Alice Hoffman book before despite having seen Practical Magic so many times. I like the movie but I did not think I’d enjoy this book in any shape or form. I’m a wimp, stuff like this scares me. BUT...I absolutely loved this book and I’m so glad that I gave it a chance.

We are introduced to Susanna Owens and her unique children; Franny, Jet and Vincent. Despite a colourful family history in which many of their ancestors identified as ‘witches’ Susanna is determined that her children will lead normal lives that are filled with restrictions and do nots. The children, however, are too clever and realise the magical powers that they possess ams the magical spells that they can cast on people. But it is only upon visiting their ‘strange’ Aunt Isabelle that something deep within them is unlocked.

In the midst of tragedy and chaos the Owens children must make their way in life whilst trying to avoid the curse that was cast by their ancestor Maria Owens, who deemed that love is and always would be cursed.

Franny, who’s is deemed as standoffish and difficult, already met her true love at a young age but how can she save herself and her soul mate from heartbreak? Will her gift get in the way of pursuing true happiness?

Jet at a young age experiences a loss so tragic that her gift all but disappears. How will she get over her loss at a time when she feels so broken? Perhaps her gift could save her, but is there even a way to get back the powers she previously possessed?

Vincent is magical in his entire being. Anyone who meets him his drawn to his charisma yet he still feels alone.Will turning to the dark arts help him to find his way?

I cannot give kudos to this book enough. I simply devoured it and will definitely be visiting Practical Magic in the written form next to get my next fill of Franny and Jet.

So, what did I like about it?
Alice Hoffman is a new-to-me author because although I have watched the film version of her novel Practical Magic (and LOVED it), I have not actually read any of her books. I enjoyed the way that Ms Hoffman weaved historical facts and witch related superstitions into her fictional tale to create the setting for the Owens siblings, I think that this helped to make the ‘magic’ seem more believable. In fact, while we’re on the subject of magic, I loved the way that the magic in this book is more old school than new age Wicca. I liked the importance Ms Hoffman placed on knowing yourself, being true to who you are and living your life without doing harm to anyone else; her witchcraft has been crafted with a wisdom I associate with a village wise-woman rather than a wand wielding, broom flying witch, especially Aunt Isabelle who I thought was wonderful.

I like the fact that this book follows the Owens siblings growing and maturing - from the post war 1950’s through to the turbulent 1960’s and ends at the time young Sally and Gillian Owens move in - we witness many types of prejudices and see the implications of the war in Vietnam. For a piece of fiction that is set in America’s turbulent times, I do feel that this story has the right amount of tears, mystery and chuckles for a family saga of this size.

So, ummm, was there anything I disliked about it?
Dislike is too strong an emotion but there were definitely a few things that took the shine off for me.
To begin with, I was perhaps a tad disappointed that this book didn’t grab me with both hands; it was easy to put down.

I felt as though I was observing the tale unfold rather than being immersed in it; I felt as though I was reading a flashback of events that had already happened, without experiencing the complex emotions that would have accompanied them. In other words, at times, I thought that this novel is a third party view of what happened to Franny, Jet & Vincent.

I also found it slightly off putting that that the book didn’t have chapters but was divided into six parts; Intuition, Alchemy, Conjure, Elemental, Gravity and Remedy. Another reviewer mentioned that The Rules of Magic reads more like a screenplay rather than a novel and I know exactly what she means (it will make a fantastic film).

So, basically what I’m saying is...
I enjoyed this book; it was good but it caused me much deliberation over what star rating I would give it! Lol!

I would recommend this book to those of you who enjoy family sagas about love, loyalty, tragedy, prejudice and secret histories within a magical realism setting, but be warned this melancholy but beautiful tale made me cry more than it made me laugh if you don’t mind not getting a Disney-esque happily ever after, then this book could be right up your street.

From the wonderful Alice Hoffman, an enchanting prequel to Practical Magic. The Rules of Magic is a captivating and magical read.

1960's New York, a time of greater freedom,flower power and protest. Against this backdrop live Franny, Vinnie and Bridget, otherwise known as Jet. Their's is a seemingly normal childhood, but there is something distinctly different about them, a difference that mother Susanna is keen to hold at bay. Susanna herself hails from a long line of witches where love is a curse. Determined to protect them Susanna bans red shoes, the wearing of black clothing, walking in moonlight and most importantly they must never fall in love for fear of the family curse hurting the one they love.

A visit to their aunt Isabel in a small Massachusetts town where all the wrongs are blamed on the family, changes everything for Franny, Vinnie and Jet. As they slowly realise who they are, each are forced to make decisions to try and escape the family curse, and to learn to live with just who they are.

The Rules of Magic is a prequel to Practical Magic, which I have not read, and luckily no knowledge is required to be able to enjoy The Rules of Magic.

Now I am not a huge fan of books about witches and magic, and this is perhaps one of the reasons why I have not read Practical Magic, but I am an Alice Hoffman fan.  I am not sure what I was expecting regarding content but I knew the writing would be very good.

I was also pleased that whilst magic has a place in the novel it is not the major theme, indeed it is more about the curse and the characters ability to deal with the small matter of falling in love and hoping that nothing awful befall their loved one.

The characters themselves are rich and diverse. Franny, the eldest, is the most responsible, the most headstrong, with her huge mop of bright red hair, and ability to talk to birds. Vinnie is handsome, rebellious, a charmer, dabbling with the darker side of magic. Jet, the youngest, with an ability to read the minds of others and perhaps the most affected by heritage.

The relationship between them is strong, each trying to protect the other but nothing can protect them when they fall in love. As the 60's roll on so do the choices the siblings need to make and Hoffman really wrangles with our emotions as tragedy and separation threaten the bond between them.

 The characters may be wrestling with their heritage but they still have to deal with real life and Hoffman creates a great sense of time and place. With the Vietnam War raging, their magical abilities does nothing to protect them from the protests and the devastating consequences of the draft. In fact it does nothing to protect them from the full range of human emotion, of the loss and grief we must all at some time face.

Life may not have been as Franny, Vinnie and Jet would have wanted but I think maybe they found some happiness and as the novel nears its end matters turn to the future. The future is sisters Gillian and Sally, whose story is told in Practical Magic, which I will now be reading!

I thoroughly enjoyed The Rules of Magic and am grateful to Netgalley and Scribner for the opportunity to read and review.