3.5 stars, rounded up
I am not a fan of fantasy and I’m also not a fan of romance novels, but I am a fan of Alice Hoffman. This, the fourth book in the “Practical Magic” series, is the final one. I can’t say it worked for me as well as the previous books in the series, but I was pleased to see how it all came together.
The Owens family has been dealing with a curse for generations. Anyone that a family member falls in love with, comes to harm. Finally, as the love interest of Kylie lies in a coma, she seeks to break the curse. This involves walking on the dark side of witchcraft. And in an effort to help, other members of the family travel behind her. The youngest generation were unaware of their heritage. The middle generation had tried to ignore their heritage. The older generation were the last ones to embrace who they were.
Hoffman has created characters that I care about and want to see them finally be able to love openly and freely. Each character was fully developed and each faces some form of self realization.
The theme of the book is basic, but not trivial. It’s that love is what makes us fully alive and we need to be willing to risk ourselves to embrace it. “Everything worthwhile was dangerous.”
The problem was the pacing of the book was not uniform and I found it dragged at times. Also, parts were predictable. Walking on the dark side, not everyone can be trusted. But I adored the ending. Hoffman’s beautiful writing really came to the forefront then and I was highlighting phrases right and left.
My thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an advance copy of this book.

Wow. This last installment in the enchanting Owens family series was amazing. Full of heartache, love and how far this family will go to save each other. I was mesmerized by this magical tale, saddened in many parts and happy in others. Alice Hoffman is an amazing story teller and has enchanted me with her latest gift. If you love the Owens family books, make sure you don't miss this one.

I love this book and if you’re ready for Fall like I am then this is the book for you! It’s the last book in the Practical Magic series. I’ve read 3 out of the 4 and enjoyed them all. The only one I haven’t read is Practical Magic. I have seen the movie so I’ve got a rough idea of what happens.
.
This is the conclusion to the series where the Owens family finally breaks the curse that their ancestor Maria put on her descendants 300 years prior. All the threads of the previous books are tied up and the Owens women are finally free to be themselves while still practicing their craft.
.
FYI- about the order…this is #2 but it’s actually the conclusion. You could probably read them in any order but the chronological order is:

1. Magic Lessons
2. The Rules of Magic
3. Practical Magic
4. The Book of Magic
.
Thanks to @netgalley and @simonandschuster for an advanced copy of this book. It will be released on 10/5/21. Just in time for a Halloween read!

After reading the others in this series, I was eagerly anticipating the grand finale. Alice Hoffman's, The Book of Magic, did not disappoint. While it may work as a stand-alone read, you really should read the series in order to get the full effect.

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC!
I couldn't wait to dig into this final installment of the Practical Magic series. With this story, Alice Hoffman gives us the conclusion to the Owens family saga. THE BOOK OF MAGIC bridge the previous books and brings us to the final tale that is satisfying and meaningful.
The characters were so well developed and I connected to all of them. Learning more about the family members and their own levels of experiencewith and desire to use magic was so engaging.
Alice Hoffman writes beautifully and weaves a wonderful tale in this story.

Five outstanding and enchanting stars; Alice Hoffman’s writing keeps getting better with each book.

I won’t share any part of the plot and would instead suggest to just go into the book without reading much more than the description beforehand. But if you want to continue reading reviews, here’s mine.

I was enthralled from the very first page. Hoffman’s lyrical prose has crafted The Book of Magic into what will undoubtedly become a beloved final installment in the Practical Magic series. After 25+ years of reading about the Owens family, their story is told. I started reading this wonderful series in the late nineties and still can’t quite believe that this is it.

This book made me feel, made me cry in parts, made me amazingly happy in parts, and I savored every single word on each and every page.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an eARC of this title. Opinions shared are influenced by nothing other than my reading experience.

The continuation of Sally and Gillian's story. Full of magic and love, the curse is finally ended and the Owens family can stop hiding from love.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. Anything written by Alice Hoffman is a must read especially when it involves the Owens family. I've loved this series ever since 'Practical Magic' and I am so sad to see it come to a close.

I really enjoyed how this book followed Antonia and Kylie who have finally grown up and are trying to find their own paths in the world. Although, it began with a sad start it ended with all the loose ends tied up with many surprises along the way. I couldn't have predicted a better ending even if I tried.

And remember "Harm no one. Know that what you give to the world will come back to you threefold. Fall in love whenever you can."

Thank you for the advanced copy. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book was definitely spellbinding and enchanting. For those who enjoy atmospheric books rich with a character-driven plot line based on past transgressions, forbidden love, and magic, then this book is for you. Beautiful prose and a poignant story, not to mention characters you feel you get to know quite personally. I would say that the only con (at least for myself) is the length and detailed description/backstory. I am one that enjoys more of a plot-driven story.

Another home run! I have not read the other books in this series and didn't even know about them. I wasn't sure if I would like it or be able to follow it when I found it was third in a series. Well I did!! I can't wait to read the first two.

What a journey this series is. Not going to lie, this installment made me cry multiple times.

If you've read all the books you're going to fall right into place with Alice's writing style, and the journey thus far of the Owen's Family. I adore how well everything tied together so well, from strands she left loose in each of the three previous books.

If you're coming from the movie Practical Magic, Alice does a really good job of summarizing the two prequals, and the events that took place in PM that did not happen in the movie.

There are multiple things happening within this story, a series is ending, characters are growing, and changing their roles in the family. It's an amazing journey. So many times I found myself yelling NOOOO don't do that, which is funny because as a teen I always Identified with Gillian more, and now I am more of Sally. All the family bounds, and sisterly love is felt deep throughout the book.

Talking too much about the plot will give a lot away, so instead I'm going to tell you that she continues her practice of writing in such a manner that makes you want to google her witchy remedies, and feel like you are part of the family of witches.

This book has the happiest of endings, I couldn't have dreamed a better series ending than Alice wrote, it's perfect. Seriously perfect.

If you aren't used to Alice's writing, she does a lot of storytelling through telling instead of showing, but it is never off putting like most unfavorable telling books are.

If you love any part of the Owen's, the books or the movie, you will adore this book. Even if you've never read or seen a bit of it, you will find this book welcoming you home into a long standing witch family with secrets, love, and an everlasting bond.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC!

Jet finally hears the death beetle. After her eighty years it has come for her, and she knows just what to do with her last days. As Franny, Sally and Gillian try to navigate life without her there is still one thing they revolve around: the Owen's family curse. As generations of lovers die over and over again due to the curse it's time to figure out how to break it once and for all. Well now Sally's daughter, Kylie, is a victim of the curse and she wants to be the last. On a mad rush to where the curse began and a book of shadows guiding her way, Kylie will do whatever it takes to bring her love back to her. Whatever it takes.

What a wonderful installment of the Owen women books - I have a feeling this is the last one (hopefully not!). This novel takes you into the sequel that we always wished we had with the new generation of Owen women. Kylie and Antonia know very little of their gifts and due to circumstance have to awaken what is inside of them all along. There is lots of loss in this novel as well as finding new love, as the two go hand in hand. I have no complaints over this novel. I sometimes feel like endings are rushed and there isn't adequate closure, but this isn't the case for TBOM. Hoffman ties up all of the loose strings and provides substantial endings for all of the characters. This one might be my favorite one yet!



Rate: 5/5

Fiction

Author: Alice Hoffman

Pages: 400

I absolutely love Alice Hoffman’s books. She writes her magical stories so eloquently you’ll be flying through the pages and feel a need for more when you finally reach the end.

I have been a fan of the Practical Magic series for many years. This was by far my favorite of them all. The character development, switching viewpoints, descriptive prose, and multiple settings really set the book in motion. I loved how the characters’ stories were all wrapped up and I was happy with where the entire Owens family landed. I’m sad the series is over but happy to have found it in the first place.

Fans of Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic series will be thrilled with this book. We revisit the Owens women who have been cursed in love for 300 years. Sally now has two daughters, Antonia and Kylie, Vincent, the older brother is in Europe, and the two older aunties are still in MA. We begin the book with Jet’s death (not a spoiler) and then the ensuing chapters take us on a trip to end the 300 year curse. The book is set in 6 main parts. Hoffman’s writing is beautiful though I found some of the writing overly descriptive. Even though I didn’t read the other books in the series I did enjoy this book (I saw the movie a long time ago and still pictured Sandra Bullock as Sally).

This is a book about love, family and the lengths people go for their loved ones.

Thanks to #netGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

This was the perfect conclusion for my favorite series.
All of the loose ends I wanted tied up were neatly done. We get to see what happens to some characters missing in other installments. This book centers around breaking the curse that prevents the Owens family from having happily ever afters with their loves.
It was truly magical with so much fun and some folk superstitions/magic/remedies sprinkled in.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've read several of Alice Hoffman's books and absolutely adore them.

This book concludes the Practical Magic series, the story of Maria Owens and her descendants.

"The Owens family has been cursed in matters of love for over three hundred years, but all of that is about to change. The novel begins in a library, the best place for a story to be conjured when beloved aunt Jet Owens hears the deathwatch beetle and knows she has only seven days to live. Jet is not the only one in danger—the curse is already at work."

Hoffman's 4th and final book in the story that began with Practical Magic brings the story full circle.

The final novel of the Practical Magic series tied a perfect bow on the Owens family story. The family curse hits the youngest generation of Owens women and spurs the rest of the family into flight as they attempt to keep one of their own away from dark magic. After Sally kept her daughters hidden away from magic, Kylie is coming into her power and she is doing it in the name of love. This novel dives into what happened in the original Essex where the Owens' history began and to see how an ancient curse can be broken.

Alice Hoffman did not take the easy route with this story, the final book in the Owens family saga. The curse continues with new, dimensional characters that are relatable for everyone. Her other books set the stage for the challenges and sacrifices required of the Owens family to bring their ancestor's curse full circle.

This book is a comfortable read, but not a boring one. I want to go back and read it again, it's that good! The story line and the characters that I knew and loved before I started "The Book of Magic". came back to life instantly and I didn't think I'd love them even more as their story unfolds, but I do. The introduction of Sally's grown daughters, with their own well defined personalities and life choices round out this story and successfully bring the story into today's lifestyles.

With a pub date of Oct. 5th, I can't think of a better book to settle in for a Halloween read. "The Book of Magic" is truly a treat!

This is one of my absolute favorite series and I’m so sad to see it wrapping up. I’ve been on the journey with the Owens family for years now and the finale didn’t disappoint. I wish it was a little more exciting and it was definitely the weakest of the series, but it was still great. Will miss this family!