Good good good! Prequel to Rules of Magic which is a prequel to Practical Magic. Finally the story behind why all the Owen women are cursed in love. Hoffman always writes a good story.

I really enjoyed the history this book lends to the Owens family.

It is far darker then I imagined and far more emotional. I thought it would be more like Practical Magic. I loved it! It surprised me and kept going. It was a bit slow in the beginning but
It begins in the 1600's and lays the foundation for this amazing, gifted families heritage.

I connected with the characters and was pulled in.

Alice Hoffman writes beautiful novels about strong, passionate women. Women who know their minds but have to learn to listen to their hearts. I loved learning about more of the Owens’ legacy through Maria and Faith.

I haven't read anything by Alice Hoffman before this book. Magic Lessons was the perfect dip into her writing. I love her voice and style. After reading this, I am definitely going to look for more books by Hoffman. This book opens on Maria Owens abandoned in a snow covered field and Hannah finding her and raising her. There's action, heartache, violence, animals. I didn't want it to end. Hoffman takes you through every emotion known to man in this book. Love, hate, horror, disappointment, and so much more. It's a rollercoaster. It is a story about fear and the unknown and making assumptions without knowing a person. It's about second chances to get things right. It's about a coming of age story in a time when there was so much unknown. The characters are fleshed out, there are good and bad and some in between. The details in the setting utilized all the senses and I learned many things about plants and belief systems. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Great book!

2.5 and I believe that is abnormal for this book compared to others ratings. I simply could not find a connection with the characters or storyline. I will say the second half picked up for me when it took a turn into historical Salem. This one just wasn't for me, a bit too whimsical, a bit scattered.

Practical Magic is one of my favorite books and Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite authors, so there was no question that I would read Magic Lessons. I know that there are others who disagree with me, but in my opinion, Practical Magic still reigns supreme. I love Sally and Gillian and I click with their stories more than any of their relatives. While I wouldn’t consider Practical Magic fast paced, it moves along at a definite clip in comparison to Magic Lessons.

Magic Lessons has lush prose, beautiful landscapes, and fleshed out characters. Rather than focusing in on one portion of Maria’s life, we see it at a bird’s eye view (fitting nicely with her familiar). While I think the book was beautifully written and I think it deserves all 5 stars, I just wasn’t in the headspace for a sprawling novel of this sort. There are high stakes, scandal, love, betrayal, everything one could ask for, but it moved along slowly. I honestly got frustrated with Maria as she never seemed to do a good job managing her inter-personal relationships. While this tends to be a theme - Sally and Gillian aren’t great at managing their relationships, either - I felt Maria’s faults more keenly.

If you like witchcraft and slow-paced, historical fiction, this book will check all your boxes. Maria, Faith, and Samuel feel like real people and the journey they go on will eventually wrap you up in its spell.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital ARC for review purposes.

I totally thought I had reviewed this one before now. Probably just gushed my entire heart about it over on Instagram, haha! I love the Owens family. Sally is my favorite, but Jet is a close second. I grew up with the film Practical Magic, and didn’t venture into the book until a few years ago.

But then, I was able to read Jet and Franny’s story, and now, finally, we get Maria’s story, and it’s quite the story. I love Maria so much, and Owens’ lovers will, too. When Maria is abandoned by the man she loves, she follows him to Salem, Massachusetts, where she finds a much different man than the one she fell in love with. Here she learns the magic that she’ll build her life around, and raise a daughter that hopefully won’t know her strife.

It’s been out for a minute, and if you still need some witchy vibes in your life throughout fall and winter, definitely check it out. Hoffman never disappoints.

Love could ruin your life or set your free; it could happen by chance or be a well-planned decision.

With the backdrop of the witch hunts in 1600's in Salem, Marie is on a journey of her destiny. Her gift of magic maybe construed as witchcraft but she views it as a gift of healing. She is aware of the different kinds of magic and the dangers that can happen. Her life journey starting with her abandonment as a baby, she has been well watched for. And ends with love finding her. The characters tell the magical story. From good to evil and the hearts of men. To the struggles of women and the gift of life and love, Marie is motivated by love. With magic and the power of words, there is a contrast of characters along with the journey. Marie knows the curse of love and the gift of love.

Marie's journey takes her to different parts of the world in the 1600's and ends in Salem where the hanging of women for witchcraft was notorious. It also deals with how it came to an end with Marie playing a part in it of course. Alice Hoffman is one of those story tellers that is magical in dealing with emotions, the human heart and relationships. She is one of my favorites.

A special thank you to Simon & Shuster and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman is the story of Maria Owens from Practical Magic. First I will admit to loving the movie and thought the book was good. So I picked this book with that in mind. I am glad I picked this book up. Marias story is intriguing and heartbreaking. Hoffman does have a really beautiful world but I will admit to felt like I was struggling to get into this book. I never really did connect to any of the characters. At times I was skimming to keep my interest in the book. I never felt what the characters felt. This book was well written but there are very few happy moments. This makes a book hard to read when your are looking for escape. I think its very in line with history and the setting but that doesn't always make for a great escape read.

Overall 3.5 stars for actually being a good book in writing and world building even if I did struggle I recognize quality. I am rounding up to 4 because I think the quality is there. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for a free copy. This is an honest review.

This was a wonderfully engaging and interesting look back at the Owens family history. The writing was smooth and the story very engaging, loved that it went back so far to the Salem Witch Trials (and even further back actually). I read this last after reading Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic but it can certainly be read as a stand alone as well. Reading this first would have given me a forward timeline, instead I read it going backward into history but either way works. Of the 3 this was my favorite, I especially enjoyed all the info showing uses for the herbs in spells and potions. So fun!

This was the best book I've read all year. I went backwards with this series, starting with Rules of Magic, followed by Practical Magic and now Magic Lessons - SO GOOD! I cannot wait to tell everyone to read this. I already shared with one friend who loved Practical Magic and she cannot wait to read. Everything about this was perfection. The character development was incredible, story line - even better. ALL OF THIS WAS AMAZING.

MAGIC LESSONS the prequel to PRACTICAL MAGIC by Alice Hoffman; though I haven’t read the latter yet, I’m twentieth in line to check it out from the library and can’t wait to read it!

MAGIC LESSONS is a beautifully written story centered around Mothers and Daughters in Salem, Massachusetts in the 1600s—Highly Recommend!

’Where does the story of the Owens bloodline begin? With Maria Owens, in the 1600s, when she’s abandoned in a snowy field in rural England as a baby. Under the care of Hannah Owens, Maria learns about the “Unnamed Arts.” Hannah recognizes that Maria has a gift and she teaches the girl all she knows. It is here that she learns her first important lesson: Always love someone who will love you back.

’The water is wide I cannot get o’er it
And neither have I wings to fly
Give me a boat that shall carry two
And I shall row, my Love and I….’

Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, for loaning me an eGalley of MAGIC LESSONS in exchange for an honest review.

* I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review *

It's interesting to read the Owens Family Saga in reverse chronology, and to watch the author's style improve as the storyline bends backwards. That said, I do not recommend reading in chronological order because the difference in style and writing chops between Magic Lessons and Practical Magic are so disparate than unless you already love Practical Magic, it won't measure up.

This one is squarely historical fiction, set in the 1600s, and that won't appeal to every reader. The specter of the Salem Witch Trials looms large over the first half of the book, giving a darkness to this novel that isn't as much a part of The Rules of Magic or Practical Magic. It's also a slow build (possibly because for a modern reader, unless you're already a historical fiction fan, you really have to get into the right mindset) so give yourself a chance to warm up to the characters. The second half of the book has a faster pace, maybe because by the time the action picks up, you already care about the characters.

Hannah, Maria, and Faith are great additions to the pantheon of Owens women, and I was happy to get to know them.

For readers who are practicing witches, you're in for a treat. There's a lot of -- yep, I'm gonna go there for the pun -- PRACTICAL MAGIC in this novel. (Come on, could YOU pass up that opportunity?) But seriously. Anyone who keeps a grimoire will find useful spellwork and herbology that holds up.

For readers who go in skeptical of witchcraft and magic: What are you doing here? If you don't care about witchy things, then this book will be a hard sell.

To sum it all up, here's my favorite quote from the book, one that's deceptively simple: "Always love someone who will love you back."

I loved this story! Admittedly I read the series out of order and haven't finished Practical Magic, but this one is my favorite!
Personally I was able to connect to these characters as I read a bit more than Rules of Magic.
The writing and storyline allowed for an easy to read story. And I often wanted to return to the story if I had to put it down.
I would highly recommend this one to lovers of the other books in the series, stories with witches, or stories about family bonds.

Magic Lessons was an apt title for the book as the book itself felt a bit pedantic. Perhaps I would have reacted differently if I had come to the book with no knowledge of historic sexism, the dangers of theocracy, humanity's inhumanity. But I didn't. So reading the book felt somewhat like I was being hit over the head nonstop with how unfair life has always been. That I can overlook because you have to expect some of it given the history of the Owens family. What I cannot overlook and what I truly hated about the book was the repetitive cruelty to animals. Again, I knew from history that animals considered familiars to witches did not fare well. I did not need to see it again and again in this book and it was a deal breaker for me. While I can understand Hoffman's intent to a point, it was unnecessary.

As others have mentioned, the lists became a bit tedious. It took me over two months to read this book and that is not at all the norm for me, but I had to keep making myself read in order to finish it. Once I did finish, I was relieved to be done with it and that is never a good sign. Having said all that, I do think that there will be many readers who enjoy the book. Alice Hoffman works well with her subject, with words, with descriptions, and there are many readers who will enjoy the book on those merits. But those of us who are looking for depth and development in characters, who want to feel in some way connected to the characters--even if the connection is found in despising them--are likely to be less than satisfied. The characters seemed in some ways one-dimensional, although I know that Hoffman did not intend for them to be. Even Hathorne seemed too flat to properly dislike. And Faith, perhaps because she was absent for so long, never really elicited much feeling from me other than irritation. Maybe another book is planned to develop her character, and I will likely read it if so because I like Alice Hoffman's books as a rule. Just not this one.

I do thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC of Magi Lessons and I wish my review could be a more favorable one.

This is an amazing prequel to Practical Magic! I really enjoyed getting the whole story of Maria Owens and why she placed the curse she did about love. There is much love and loss and rescuers and the rescued. John stinks and Samuel is great (the absolute best!)! I like that there is plenty of magic and magic use in this book. The spells are pretty cool too.

I would definitely recommend this book, especially if you enjoyed Practical Magic (the book or the movie).

If you've read, or viewed Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman, you know that the Owens women were cursed years ago when Maria Owens was hanged by the father of her child for being a witch. Magic Lessons gives you the entire story, starting from Maria's abandonment as an infant. She was found and loved by Hannah Owens, an older woman living on her own. It is from Hannah that Maria learns the Nameless Arts - spells and potions to help women in love, people with odd ailments, and all kinds of other maladies. She is taught never to practice the Left-Hand arts - black magic. Sadly the village men tracked Hannah down, nailed her to her door and set her and the house on fire - all while Maria watches, helpless, from the marsh. Maria runs fast and far and ends up with her birth mother for a disappointing few weeks, then is SOLD to a captain heading to Curcao. The captain sold Maria in to service to a wealthy Dutch family She falls in love with a sailor from Massachusetts who is learning the shipping business from the bottom up. As a rule, witches can't practice on themselves, so Maria was unable to work a spell to prevent herself from falling in love. Shortly thereafter, she finds herself pregnant and realizes that John had disappeared. With the help of her friend and fellow servant, she gives birth to a beloved baby girl, who grows to have powers and learn the arts from her mother. I could go on and on - I love the Owen Sisters. Read this book if you've never read anything else by Alice Hoffman - its a great story unto itself and I guarantee you'll become a fan. I enjoyed this "Prequel" to their saga very much. I was thrilled to read an ARC and I hope you enjoy the book!

I received a complimentary digital copy of this arc book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

It all begins in 1664 when Hannah Owens finds baby Maria wrapped in a blue blanket in the woods. She brings the baby to her secluded cottage in the woods where she raises her as her own. She discovers that Maria is not an ordinary child as she quickly learns the healing properties of herbs. Having been an orphan herself, Hannah takes pride in teaching Maria how to read and write which are valuable tools during this time period.

Maria’s life is turned upside down when her biological mother shows up to claim Maria after many years. She carries her own secrets of the past and reasons for abandoning Maria in the forest. Her life is at stake when she learns about her family history and the curse that lingers through the generations. When Maria is 16 years old she becomes pregnant by an influential married man. When her daughter Faith is 5 years old they flee to Massachusetts after persuading Captain Abraham Dias to allow them passage to the states. He is convinced when she is able to care for his 25 year old son Samuel who is stricken with dengue.

Again, the story of the Owens family is not typical and filled with intrigue and mystery. The lessons of magic are delicate and sacred not to be entrusted to those who do not value its purpose.

I really enjoyed Alice Hoffman’s The Rules of Magic, and her new book Magic Lessons did not disappoint.

I’m not one who typically likes stories about magic or witchcraft, but one is missing out if they don’t ready this book because this is about so much more. I love the letter at the beginning about the magic of stories that Hoffman so. The letter is a taste to storytelling that she has perfected.

Hoffman brings us the Owens family and the love curse of Maria Owens and her daughter Faith. There is witchcraft and the magic of potions and curses and spells. There is also the magic of healing, the magic of kindness, and the magic of love. I feel I’m put under a spell reading Hoffman’s books and it helps me escape from the things happening in the world. This story takes us from Essex, England to Curaçao, to Salem, Massachusetts to New York back to Salem. This story follows the life of Maria from vowing off love, to having a child, to being accused by Puritans of being a witch.

Another thing I loved, was the recipes at the beginning of each chapter. It left me hoping every young woman will find a Samuel Dias in their life. It reaffirmed my love for the Owens family who I discovered in the novel. Alice Hoffman is an enchanting author, and I look forward to picking up her books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Once there was a babe abandoned in the snowy woods not far from Hannah Owens home. Hannah took in Maria and raised her. Maria had a talent for the unnamed arts and Hannah taught her all she knew. Hannah admonishes her to always love someone who will love you back.

Disaster strikes. Hannah dies and young Maria is left on her own. Robbed of her childhood by what she witnessed, Maria seeks help from her biological parents. Her father sells her into indentured servitude in Curacao.

It's in Curacao that Maria first falls in love. She is subsequently abandoned again. She makes her way to Salem, Massachusetts where witch hysteria is brewing. Along the way Maria will learn more about love. And it is in Salem she will utter the famous Owens family curse.

I liked the characters of Maria, Samuel Dias, and Hannah the most. Faith, Maria's daughter, is an interesting character as well. It's not that Faith is unlikable, but some of her choices are. Generally speaking, the characters in the book are appropriately fleshed out. Those you should like, you will probably like. Those that are less likable, the reader is shown reasons why they are less likable.

The pace of the book is well done. I was only tempted to look ahead once and that was because of a plot point rather than a pacing issue. I was worried for Maria going to Salem at a time when one could be accused and put on trial for witchcraft. I didn't look ahead though.

This book is worth reading whether you've read the other books yet or not. I give it 5 out of 5 stars. It's well-written. There are interesting characters and plot twists. And it is well paced. I would recommend this book if you've read the others or want to, like historical literature, or like witchy books.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my review.