The two other books about the Owens family, Practical Magic and Rules of Magic left us wanting to know more about this family. The wait is over, we’re going all the way back to the beginning to understand the life and the origin of the Owens’ curse. Our story follows Maria from her childhood in England, her move to Curaçao and her eventual arrival in Massachusetts, then New York. She’s a natural bloodline witch who is abandoned by her mother and raised by Hannah, a kind, wise woman who shapes Maria’s philosophy and her inclination to help others. She sees the women who Hannah helps and vows to never fall in love. She learns more about her family when another witch shows up seeking help from Hannah. Witches are not exactly welcome in England either and an event (no spoilers) precipitates her sail to the tropics. In Curaçao, she gains a new family as she bonds with a slave girl who becomes her best friend. Her vow is tested when she meets John who is from Massachusetts and the rest of the book unfolds with Maria understanding more about herself, about magic and what family and true love really is. Her arrival of her daughter, Faith, brings a second storyline as we follow Faith as she learns about magic, about her nature and goes through many of the same trials that Maria and all the Owens women have to grapple with. I loved the story, couldn’t put it down and highly recommend it I love Alice Hoffman’s books although I have not read all 30+ works. They are definitely not all the same, some epic, some fast, but the ones I’ve read always explore family, tradition, love and self discovery. I love her work!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC to review!
Rating (on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being excellent)
Quality of writing: 5
Pace: 3
Plot development: 4
Characters: 4
Enjoyability: 4
Ease of Reading: 4

Overall rating: 4 out of 5

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the Advanced Release Copy in exchange for my honest review.

Very few people can tell a story like Alice Hoffman. Her writing is smooth, beautiful and evocative. Even though this is intended to be the prequel to Practical Magic (which is exciting all by itself), it also works well as a stand-alone novel.

I did not know that this book was coming out this year but I am so happy that I had the chance to read it!

Admittedly, I'm a big fan of Alice Hoffman. But of all her titles, I've never read Practical Magic - just saw the movie. Turns out watching or reading Practical Magic is not required to fall in love with the prequel, Magic Lessons. Hoffman takes us readers on a dreamy escape back in time from rural England in the 1600s, the tropical paradise of Curacao, Salem, Massachusetts at the start of the witch trials to Manhattan as she weaves the tale of three generations of Owens women who have the gift of unnatural arts. Each of women uses her gifts in different ways, each has to overcome betrayal and hardships, but each woman is independent, empowered and an example of women supporting women before their time. I was entranced by this book from the first sentence to the last, and will be hoping to get bewitched now by Practical Magic. Save the date for Magic Lessons pub date!

I loved this book! I am not someone that reads a book more than once, but, I think that the Practical Magic series is something that I will revisit.

This book tells the story of Maria Owens and how she came to be in Salem, Mass. during the 1600's.

This review sucks (I sincerely apologize for that), but, I just want to say, "Read the books!". Start with Practical Magic and go from there. You will not be disappointed.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this advanced readers copy. This book is due to release in October 2020.

I feel so lucky to have received this book from NetGalley in return for my fair and honest review. I'm a fan of the series and of Hoffman in general, and this is no exception. Some parts are slightly repetitive but overall it's a beautiful sweeping tale, taking you back in time to the origins of the Owens curse, story of love and motherhood and the bonds that cannot break. I honestly wish that there was a companion book for all of the little nameless art tidbits that are spread throughout the book. The second half moves more quickly than the first but overall the book is definitely a four star read for me.

"Do as you will, but harm no one. What you give will be returned to you threefold."

I loved this gorgeously written book and did not want it to end.

I also want to re-read Alice Hoffman's other two wonderful books about the decendents of Maria and her daughter.
Practical Magic & The Rules of Magic.

What I really love about this series is the way the protagonists are portrayed as ordinary women whom have extraordinary powers of healing, creation and love for humans, plants and animals.

I consider myself lucky to have received a free ARC of Magic Lessons from NetGalley and Simon and Schuster in exchange for an honest review.

I haven’t read the other two books in this series (trilogy?) that were published in 1995 and 2017 respectively, so I was unfamiliar with the “curse” that has plagued the Owens women over the centuries. It made no difference because Magic Lessons takes place well before the other novels: from 1664 to 1696, years that include the infamous Salem witch trials.

We follow Maria Owens who was raised by Hannah Owens, a woman who trained Maria in the Nameless Art, spells and rituals handed down through the generations to help those in need. When Hannah is murdered, Maria goes to live with her birthmother, Rebecca, who practices a different type of magic: Black magic, red magic, blood magic, and love magic. Maria absorbs as much as she can but things change and her birthparents decide it best for her to go to a place where magic is not frowned upon so.

Placed on board a ship destined for Curaçao, Maria views it as a new adventure. Eventually she leaves Curaçao on a boat owned by Abraham and Samuel Dias on its way from Curaçao to Boston. Maria and her daughter end up in Salem, Massachusetts during the years of the Salem witch trials. What happens to them in Salem affects their lives for years to come and continues to affect the Owens family into the next two books, The Rules of Magic and Practical Magic.

I found Magic Lessons to be an engrossing novel. I got into it very quickly and was eager to learn about Maria’s legacy. Scattered throughout are guidelines about different types of magic (as if they are “magic lessons”) which were interesting to read but not essential to the story. Hannah’s rules guide Maria throughout her life: "Do as you will, but harm no one. What you give will be returned to you threefold."

Magic Lessons is a stand-aIone novel. Nevertheless, I plan to read Alice Hoffman’s other books about the Owens family to find out how Maria’s actions affect them throughout the generations.

In MAGIC LESSONS, The Owens family origins are beautifully unveiled in this prequel to PRACTICAL MAGIC and THE RULES OF MAGIC by Alice Hoffman.

Maria Owens was just a babe in the woods, abandoned by her mother and taken into the warm embrace of Hannah Owens. Though not born from Hannah, Maria takes on her name as her own, and what unfolds is a lyrical story of time, love, and feminism. Set in a time when reading and writing was as bad for a woman as the knowledge of herbs and midwifery, Hannah teaches Maria the secrets of life as a woman who has powers.

Alice Hoffman's writing is languid and elaborate, which can be dragging and even lulling at times. Still, MAGIC LESSONS delivers an abundance of sumptuous atmosphere. As Maria falls in love and bears a child, the infamous Owens family curse comes to light. She travels from England to Salem, Massachusetts, in pursuit of the lover who abandoned her, only to be shunned and forsaken, and convicted as a witch.

Betrayal, vengeance, and the ultimate of all things, love, are the basis for this tale. Hoffman speaks to the trials of women throughout the ages in such a quiet and delicate way that the reader feels the tug of feminist hardship more than having it beat them over the head. In this fashion, MAGIC LESSONS, and all the books on the Owens, do well to show that being different has always been a condemnation.

MAGIC LESSONS is as eloquent and beautiful as a lullaby.

Alice Hoffman gives us the story Of Maria Owens the Matriarch of the Owens family. Filled with love , magic and suspense if you are a Owens Fan this is a must read! If not this is a wonderful place to start . A novel that immerses you in the pages and won't let go

I was so excited to receive this ARC compliments of Simon & Schuster via Netgalley for an honest review.

This is my first Alice Hoffman book. I have had Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic on my TBR for a while now . . . this was the essential push I needed to get familiar with the Owens women and their legacy. This prequel novel reveals a harrowing generational journey of Maria Owens and her gifted daughter Faith . . . intricate lessons of life, love, and herbs.

The historical aspects explored in Magic Lessons were fascinating and tragic. Showing that the truth can be every bit as sad as fiction.

In this story, we walk through a period of time when the unnamed arts of blending herbs, potions, and spells are just as damning to women as reading and writing. When asserting a female opinion is equated with practicing black magic.

There are a few areas that drag, but the overall story shines through in the end. A message of sisterhood, of discovery and deliverance . . . that even in dark times we can find compassion, resilience, and hope.

Forgive me for yelling, but
THIS BOOK WAS PERFECT.
Iy took me most of the prologue to get accustomed to the voice, but then I never wanted it to end. Magic is real, y'all.
Thank you to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alice Hoffman always has a beautiful way with words. I had not read her previous books, Practical Magic and Rules of Magic but that blunder will soon be assuaged. It certainly was not necessary to read the other books to understand and adore this novel. Wonderfully immersive, not only being a treatise on witchcraft, but is centrally a story about love. Love withheld, fear of love, all consuming love, love of friends and motherly love. This was also a commentary about the place of women in the 1600's where superstitions thrived, where women were subservient ,where women had no voice, could not publish or own property. Powerless under the edicts of men, they were thus coerced to have clandestine lives. Maria ,the main character in this novel, was cast off by her mother and taken in by Hannah, a sympathetic woman who taught her the arts of healing and so called"witchcraft". As time evolves she is smitten with a man and fools herself into thinking this is love, a feeling which produced a child. When she is abandoned by him, she sails to Salem to find him . As he cast her from his life she induced a magical spell that affected the rest of her life. Much follows from this point, between a sailor whom she saved from a mysterious illness and an attempt to find her daughter who was snatched from her life. Adventures abound , centering on one of the themes "You make love what you want it to be. You decide.You walked toward it or walk away."Excellently crafted and full of mysticism, this novel sucked me right in.

Alice Hoffman's, Magic Lessons, is a prequel to her beloved books Practical Magic and Rules of Magic. It follows Marie Owens, who was left in the woods by her mother, and found & raise by Hannah Owens, who gave this baby her surname, Owens, through her life and the life of her daughter, Faith.

If you have read both or either of the other two books about the Owens girls, then you know this book is not to be missed. If you have never read either book. Magic Lessons, the origins of the Owens women, is the best place to start.

Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite authors ever since I fell in love with her novel The Dovekeepers. Although that still remains my favorite nivel she has written, the "magic" books are a close second! Everyone deserves to delve into at least one of Ms. Hoffman's books in their lifetime. They are not to be missed!

Set in the 1600's Maria is a tiny baby mysteriously left in a basket along with an opinionated black crow named Cadin. Found by Hannah Owens who will raise her and teach her the arts of healing, herbs and the greatest gift, love. As Maria grows to young womanhood along with her cantankerous crow (absolutely loved Cadin) she will travel to Salem, Massachusetts to follow the man she fell in love with only to be betrayed, fight the horrific accusations of being a witch in a time where mere suspicions could lead to torture and death for her and unleash the curse that will haunt her family for years to come.
Having never read the previous books related to Magic Lessons I decided to venture into it hoping I could still follow the story line because I was excited about this read, the synopsis was intriguing and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it when I spotted it on NetGalley. I will say this much that Alice Hoffman is a gifted story teller who weaves her stories and characters like a fine tapestry.

Thanks to NetGalley and Alice Hoffman for providing me a digital copy in exchange for my review.

Magic Lessons is truly a magic story, weaving an enchanting tale of Maria Owens, the women who made her who she is, and the child she brings into the world. The 1600s are not a good time for a woman to live, as Maria learns first in England where she was born and raised, or in Curacao, where she is indentured by her father, or in New England in America. But she's grounded through all of this in two things, doing no harm to others and finding a path for herself. But even a witch like Maria is not immune to things like love and lust and an encounter with a man she presumes is her destiny to meet leads her on her next steps in life - including a daughter, Faith, and a journey to Salem. The story continues effortlessly, bringing into the lives of Maria and Faith people that are willing to great harm and great kindnesses. The harms are painful to read about, but the wonderful people that support these women when society won't more than make up for it, both literally and figuratively. Wonderfully done!

*I received a digital ARC from Netgalley*
I was so excited to read this and it did not disappoint! This was a really well paced read, I finished it in one long weekend and couldn't put it down.

I had read Practical Magic already so it was fun to catch the parts that would be referenced in the "future" for the later generations of Owens women. It was dense with magical lore, and had great little snippets that made you feel like you were reading straight from Maria's diary. I think I actually liked this even better than Practical Magic!

This was my first book of the Practical Magic trilogy and I enjoyed it thoroughly. The story sucks you right in and the women are engaging.

I do wish I could have swooped in and done a bit of content editing as there are portions that got quite repetitive as we went through the generations but overall it's a very solid read. I'll go back and read the other two next.

I'm a fan of Hoffman's writing, and was eager to dive into the history of the Practical Magic family. This book is well constructed (as we would expect from an established author), the characters are compelling and able to be related to, and the story is beautifully woven. I loved the balance of good/dark magic, and how there are consequences for everything you do. Fans of Practical Magic will adore this, and new readers to Hoffman's books would find this one a great place to start.

Well worth the read.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for this ebook to read, enjoy and review.

Just what I needed - a book to take me away to another time and world. I am not much for historical novels from the 1600s, but this one that I wanted to read slowly,, to enjoy every word. It is a prequel to Practical Magic, but I believe it is a novel that can stand on its own. The story is about Maria Owens and takes place in Curaçao and New England - briefly in England. It is a story of love, betrayal, and of course, magic. I highly recommend this book.