This was different from the other books in the Practical Magic series. While still covering familiarly red-or-raven-haired members of the Owens family, and with familiar lessons in herbs and in magic, this one was much more set in time and place. It's more historical fiction, tying in with noteworthy events and specific people and locations much more firmly. This is not to its detriment, although it's maybe a little long and slow-paced compared to the other two books (Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic).

I am completely enamored of the Owens women. Alice Hoffman takes us back to the very beginning of the Owens story, weaving the Salem witch trials and so much more in this engrossing book. I loved getting to know Maria and Faith. All of Hoffman's novels feature strong women, reliant on friendship and sisterhood, who live their lives on their own terms, as much as they can. Magic Lessons includes the same kind of women.

Alice Hoffman is a beautiful writer, and her newest book is a slower, yet somewhat tumultuous, look at the history of the Owen's family and their magical beginnings in the United States. While I wasn't as intrigued by the historical aspects of this book as I wanted to be, I blame that more on on my brain being somewhat shot during the quarantine than on Hoffman's prose. Despite the slow pace, fans of Hoffman will love this book and all the modern lesson it's historical story has to offer.

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

I’ve read all Alice Hoffman books, and this certainly did not disappoint! A beautiful marriage of history and magic. I was struck by the fact that although the story takes place in the 1600’s, there are so many parallels to life today, such as people shunned and shamed for their beliefs. The story is filled with beautiful and poignant life lessons. Lessons from the 1600’s that are still relevant in today’s world. Thank you Netgalley, Simon and Schuster, and Alice Hoffman for the early read! This made my whole year! Thrilled and grateful to have been able to read this piece of magic.

Ok so I opened this book on April 20, but I had some stuff happen and then I read another book. I actually read 80% of this today- in one sitting. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t gripped from the very beginning. That’s no fault of Alice’s. Her writing is always perfection- I just have a hard time with historical fiction. I don’t know why, but it just is what it is. For me, Part One dragged a little. I made it through though and didn’t give up on Alice and I’m so glad. Ok, so I’ve been reading about Maria Owens for years and I don’t know what everyone else is going to think or say, but this Maria is nothing like I imagined, in the best way possible. I thought with her being the one who cursed the family she was going to be angry and probably die early in the book. I won’t spoil anything, I just want to say that her character is so rich and so well developed and there is SO MUCH MORE to Maria than the curse she is known for. Enough about Maria though, the star of the whole book is Faith. She may be one of my favorite Alice characters yet. I loved her so much and I just wanted to hug her for the trauma and resilience and growth she shows throughout this book. I also loved the animals- Alice always has a dog that we just fall in love with, but there’s more than that here. This book, gah it may be the best in the series. I don’t know, I love them all, but this was just FANTASTIC and I loved it so much. I loved the allusions to The Crucible and also how Maria and Faith and John were very much like Hester and Pearl and Dimmesdale- just so much literary gold in this whole book. Also it must be mentioned how Alice Hoffman has the ability to touch every sense with her writing. I wasn’t expecting, in the beginning, to love it like I did. I’m so glad that I stuck with it and believed in her to give Maria the story we all wanted. Wonderful book. Thanks so much to Net Galley & Simon & Schuster for this approval and opportunity

I've been craving more information on Maria Owens since Practical Magic came out. This book gave me everything I could ever want. It was every bit as magical as I have come to expect from Alice Hoffman . The book begins with Maria being discovered in a snowy field with a crow by her side. The story continues as we witness how she grows and her adoptive mother teaches Maria her witchy ways. I don't want to spoil it for you but do yourself a favor and preorder this book. I did.

For the love of Owens Family and desperately seeking of my true witchy heritance: this prologue is FAN-TAC-TIC! It’s darker, more intense, more terrifying, grueling, petrifying and extremely emotional. It awakes entire feelings inside of you: hatred, passion, love, regret, horror, shame, guilt, apathy, disgust, sadness. You get exhausted after those emotional gut punches.

We’re moving to the 1600s to the beginning of the story to meet with Helen: mother of Maria to learn more about Owens bloodline. Helen finds abandoned baby in the snowy field in rural England. She becomes mentor, mother, teacher of the girl and her lessons starts with “Unnamed Arts”.
Gifted girl learns the most important lesson from Helen: “she has to love someone who loves her back”

It was slow beginning but when you stay patient and read more, you realize the characters of the book start growing on you and you need to read more about them. Instead of feeling sympathy, you start to adore their achievements, women power and you feel connected with them: This is truly remarkable mother-daughter, betrayal, avenging, love story. If they wouldn’t be the curse ones, you could voluntarily want to be part of the Owens family.

Maria’s journey only starts because of love but when love turns into passionate obsession it may also bring its curse within’. She follows the love left her behind and summons the curse into their family life will haunt them forever.

I’m not gonna give much spoiler because this will ruin the essence of the book but I honestly say if you read the other two books of the series, this is amazing beginning to give enough information for you to understand the reasons behind most of the events and more juicy facts about family dynamics. You will have the most of the answers that you need. And I advise you, after reading this prequel, you gotta read: “Practical Magic” and “The Rules of the Magic” ( If you haven’t read, this is a bliss so you gotta understand family’s story chronologically and every piece of puzzle will make more sense to you. But if you already read it: please go back and reread them: so you may get a brand new perspective and brighter, more clear look to the characters’ evolving with your second time reading.)

Overall: It started slow but as you give not only your full concentration but also your whole heart and clear mind to this story, it enchants and mesmerizes you. As a result you never want to put it down and after finishing it, you keep thinking about those remarkably memorable characters because they already became a part of you: you may find pieces of yourself as you read their journeys.

I’m giving well-deserved, magical, witchery five stars!

So much thanks to NetGalley and Simon&Schuster for sharing this fantastic ARC with me in exchange my honest review.

Oh my goodness did I love this book! This novel really has it all - magic & witches, love & revenge, mystery & history, life lessons & advice, and an incredible set of characters, some who you’re rooting for through it all, and others who you despise. ⁣
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Magic Lessons is the third in a series about the Owens family of witches. This story follows Maria Owens through her childhood in Essex County, England; her teenage years in Curaçao; and her young adult to adult years in the second Essex County in Salem, Boston, and New York. It is a generational story of both Maria and her daughter, Faith - two of the strongest characters I’ve read about in a long time - growing into themselves. ⁣
⁣
Going into it, I did not think this would be a historical fiction, verging on revisionist history, novel - but that’s what it was...and I loved that! I enjoyed how it intertwined with the Salem witch trials, a part of history that has always intrigued me. ⁣
⁣

We are taken back in time to the beginning of the Owens line of witches, before there was a house on Magnolia Street that one could go to for odd cures, before there were pairs of little girls born into the family, before there was the Owens curse. This is the story of the legendary Maria Owens, her life, her love, her magic.

This has got to be my favorite book in the Practical Magic series, and that's saying a lot since I have a growing personal collection of the OG Practical Magic editions. IDK if there are more Owens Family books in the pipeline for Alice Hoffman, but this prequel-to-the-prequel brilliantly incorporates all the history, lore and tradition I've come to love in the other books to a compelling narrative of a woman wronged and almost ruined by her kind and loving nature.

Similar to The Rules of Magic, I went in with expectation of heartache, betrayal and even death, because of all we knew about the Owens women, Maria Owens especially, prior to this book's publication, but I'm glad it all turns out fine for everyone in the end. I'm not gonna say how or in what aspect things turn out fine (bec major spoilers, duh) but it does, and it was spectacular. The book is even more enjoyable in the sense that it takes the reader to that point in the Owens family history we think we already know, AND THEN takes it WAY beyond our expectations.

The setting is rich in historical facts and events seamlessly interwoven with fiction. I found myself looking up factoids about certain places and happenings (and even magical/horticultural references) in the middle of reading because the story painted the western world in the 1600s so vividly, I wanted to believe all of the magical things actually happened. I know v little about American History, and this book is probably not the most accurate if you want to be too nitpicky, but I found it adequately molded from historical facts from where I'm standing, and the tone is clearly for the enjoyment of contemporary readers.

What I loved most were the callbacks to particular traits, behaviors, talents and traditions (we finally get to see where the Tipsy Chocolate Cake came from!) that all generations of the Owens share. (Is it a callback, though? Maria is the source of all of these after all. LOL) The history-repeats-itself device was absolutely effective in the The Rules of Magic vs. Practical Magic comparisons, and now we get to the very root of the reasons why Owens women and men are the way the are.

Magic Lessons is also more fantastical than the other books, IMO, probably bec in the other books there is an element of rejecting their heritage, of wanting to be "normal" but in this one, Maria Owens wholly embraces her true nature, even using it to her advantage several times. The 'magic' is still quite subtle like in the other books, but it is a little more straightforward here and I'd say it made the story, and the overall concept of heirloom magic fresh and exciting. (*I'm not gonna say anything about the curse, bec again, major spoilers, but oh my god the way things happened surrounding the curse were so cleverly written, I CAN'T EVEN!)

As with any of Alice Hoffman's books, central to the story is the women of power. Not just in the supernatural sense, but more on their agency and strength to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. The Owens always did as they pleased, especially the women, and in this story's time - where women who did so are accused of witchcraft and are quite easily sent to the gallows - Maria had to fight smarter and love even harder. (And oh my god Maria's love for her man and her daughter !!! i can't even as well)

If you are a huge fan of Alice Hoffman's work, you definitely shouldn't skip on this, and if this should be your first book from her, you'll definitely enjoy it and might even make you want to read the other books in this series and then some. Highly recommended.

*The eARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for free in exchange for an honest review. It doesn't affect my opinion of the book. Thank you so much, Simon & Schuster!

Lovely book by one of my favorite authors. I love that she has gone back to the Practical Magic theme a couple times now. Although my quarantine brain had a bit of a hard time with some of the history and spell descriptions, I enjoyed the feeling of empowered women who struggle in a crazy world. They make mistakes but learn from them. So many great life lessons, I found many that I had to write in my own Thoughts notebook. Thanks for letting me read this!

Alice Hoffman may have just written the very best book ever to be written! If I could give it 10 stars, I would! While I’ve been a Hoffman fan for a long time, I didn’t read Practical Magic until Rules of Magic came out in 2017. Magic Lessons tells the story of how it all began for the Owens family. We first meet Hannah, who gives Maria a home and is her first teacher. We follow Maria through many adventures, including a wonderfully visual trip to Curaçao and then a harrowing journey to Salem, Massachusetts and later to New York. We watch Maria fall in and out of love and experience the joy and pain of motherhood. We experience alongside Maria what it feels to be treated horribly for no reason other than being true to oneself. And above all, we experience Magic like no one else can deliver.
Throughout the book, Hoffman tells us her signature story of mothers and daughters and the lengths they go to for one another. She uses the most descriptive imagery for the beautiful flora and fauna along the journey. She writes about teas and cakes and other fantastic concoctions.
There were many times reading this that I caught myself holding my breath from anticipation. I literally did not want to stop reading this book. I, almost defiantly, put it down for a day just to make it last a little longer.
I cannot stress enough how perfect this book is. I will be pre-ordering so I can read again and again along with the other Owens family stories. Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the advanced copy of the wonderful book.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read and review one of my favorite authors. It came as no surprise that I enjoyed this book as much as Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic. The story went back to 1664 and tells us all about Maria Owen's origin story. Must read for of PM. Definitely recommend.

A perfect addition to the Owen’s family legacy! Hoffman really delivers in this prequel to Practical Magic and Rules of Magic.

Magic Lessons
Alice Hoffman
10/6/20
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a beautifully written masterpiece. Learning about Maria as a child opened a whole new world. This is a fast paced page turner that I had a hard time putting down. The character development was intriguing and I loved the mother/daughter relationship encompassed in the plot! Alice Hoffman is a truly gifted writer and I’m so happy I was able to get an advanced copy through NetGalley!


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4 magical stars!

I've never opened an ARC so fast when I received this one. Every ounce of my body was ready for this book. I was ready to dive in, and get completely lost in the world that is the Owens family. I WAS SO EXCITED PEEPS!

And I did for the most part! BUT, I am disappointed to report that I didn't love this book with all my heart and soul.

And that breaks my heart.

I went back and looked at my reviews for both Practical Magic and Rules of Magic and was shocked to see I did not seem to really enjoy Practical, but I did like Rules. So now I am not as shocked that I didn't love this book. The other two apparently were a mixed bag for me.

Here's what I did love about this book: The characters. SWOOOOON. I love the way Hoffman writes these characters. She makes you totally fall in love with the Owens family (despite the curse!!) and writes these witches to be the most kind, incredible women. And I love that.

What I didn't love about the story there was all the extra (don't hate me for saying this) 'fluff.' I wanted to read more about the women, their life, trials and emotions. But often times, there was so much imagery, I would get bored and skim right through it. In the beginning, I lived for it, for it really set the scene for being a witch in Salem in the 1600's. It was so needed. But towards the end, it just got to be too much for me. I was hungry for more on Faith and Maria.

Speaking off...FAITH. OMG I could have read an entire book just on her alone!!! I loved the addition of her character to this series and loved reading about how she turned out. Which I will NOT tell you because that would be a huge spoiler.

I would definitely recommend this book - especially if you have read the other two in the series. Maybe just go in with a little less gusto than I did. I mean...I went in thinking this was going to be THE BOOK of 2020 for me, so I set myself up to be disappointed.

Per usual, Hoffman is an incredible writer and develops the characters of the story like the rock-star she is. No complaints there!

The biggest thank you ever to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC and wanting my honest opinion!

I loved Practical Magic the movie before I knew about the books. I then read Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic. Magic Lessons lived up! It is again, a prequel and I do think should be read after the other two to fully enjoy it. It was a perfect quarantine read!

You've fallen in love with the Owens family through "Practical Magic" and "Rules of Magic", now return to where it all started in the infamous town of Salem with Maria Owens.

Maria Owens, a blood born witch, found abandoned in the snow by a healer named Hannah, grows up learning the "unnamed arts". It is at a young age though that she is introduced to the brutal realities of the world's view of witches when her beloved Hannah is burned alive for her craft. Forced to flee, and now alone in the world, Maria swears to never see another witch burn and to become weary of anyone she meets, altering Hannah's biggest advice, to "love others who will love you back", to never loving again.

Having escaped to the Americas, it is as an indentured servant that Maria meets the man who will forever change the fate of the Owens family. Ignoring her mission to never fall in love, Maria becomes pregnant and then abandoned by the love of her life. Desiring to alter her future and that of her child, Maria follows her child's father to Salem, Massachusetts during the height of the witch trials. It is during this time that the curse that will haunt all Owens for centuries is cast. With the curse set, and the future forever altered, Maria and her child learn the rules of magic and the important lesson they often ignored. Love whenever you can and know of love's importance.

With the reality of how much time is between each novel written in the "Practical Magic" series, Hoffman was faced with a daunting task. "Practical Magic" is a beloved book and movie that has an incredible cult following. Though "Practical Magic" is a loved booked, Hoffman has grown as a writer since the 1995 publishing. For years, Hoffman has written countless books with rich and detailed characters and plots. This is important to note because with each book in the series that comes after, Hoffman fills gaps within her stories to add to character development and to answer questions that might have surfaced with the original book. "Magic Lessons" was a brilliant book with a fantastic story at the core, but there were some aspects of the story that were less desirable. Hoffman had the difficult mission of introducing readers to a beloved story that they already somewhat knew, while still trying to add new elements. In many ways she was successful, as the skeleton of the story even brought attention to the scenes that readers and movie lovers would recognize. With that said, Hoffman also added new characters and altered many of the original components to the original story that made it what it was. "Magic Lessons" is still an incredibly beautiful story that I would highly recommend to any "Practical Magic" fan, but a full warning to readers that there are many changes to the story that they should expect. Though I believe the book would have been more successful if Hoffman stayed true to the original, classic story (focusing less on the development of side characters and side plot lines and more to the love, the curse, and the importance of a woman saving herself and her family) the book is still a one of a kind and a must read for any "Practical Magic" fan.

I have anxiously been awaiting this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Shuster for the Kindle advance read copy. This is the prequel to Practical Magic also by Alice Hoffman AN easy choice for me as I love this author and will read anything she writes. If you loved Practical Magic and its follow up Rules of Magic, you will not be disappointed in this one. It takes you to the beginning of the Owens women and how that family of women and magic began. There were a few spots that seemed to drag slightly....however you don't even care...becuase it picks up right away and you are anxious to find out what happens. Hard to review and say too much more without divulging the story -- so you have to read for yourself. I couldn't put it down and finished it in two days. Well done and leaves you wanting more!

Thank you NetGalley! I feel like I've been waiting for Alice Hoffman's Magic Lessons since reading Practical Magic so so many years ago. I also loved Rules of Magic, but finally meeting Maria, the matriarch of the Owens family, Maria, makes those two books even more special and more magical. What treasures all these books are the stories they give us.

5 Magical Stars

“Always Love Someone Who Loves You Back”

Maria Owens is a woman whose legend has been well known to those of us who loved “Practical Magic” and “The Rules of Magic.” In Alice Hoffman’s new novel “Magic Lessons,” - we finally learn of her story.

The matriarch of the Owens family, Maria is familiar with the “Unnamed Arts.” Her life’s path will take her from England, all the way to Salem, Massachusetts in the time of the Salem Witch Trials in the 1600’s.

Maria is a friend, a teacher and a lover and she does her best to bestow knowledge and kindness unto others. Once however, full of anger and spite, she is unable to help herself and she unleashes a venomous curse.

It is then that she remembers the rules of magic. Rules that her mother Hannah instilled into her:

“Do as you will, but harm no one
What you will give will be returned to you threefold”

For it is true you see as there are no take backs.

Chills ran down my spine, as I had no idea what Ms. Hoffman had in store. Shocked me, she did! This will not terrify or scare you, that I can promise. You will however, be wholly unprepared.

“Magic Lessons” is so different in comparison to both “Practical Magic” and “The Rules of Magic,” so dark and ominous, perhaps due to the time period in which it takes place, and the feel of it, as well as the writing style. That being said, I truly enjoyed this novel and found it to be a brilliant prequel to both of the sequels. I can only hope that Alice Hoffman keeps writing more novels in this series as I love reading about the Owen's family. For those of you who love reading about Magic and the Owens family, you will not be disappointed by this addition to the series!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Edelweiss, Simon & Schuster and Alice Hoffman for the arc.

Published on Goodreads on 5.3.20.