I really enjoyed this one, it was such a lovely and fun world. I found the magic system within very welcoming and cozy, and there was just so much love within it. I really loved the characters within and the dynamics we got to see. This was just so much fun overall, I'm so happy I read it

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Magical realism has quickly become one of my favorite genres, allowing me to escape and get lost. While reading this book I had obligations that caused me to have to put the book down a couple of times but it was such an easy story to fall right back into when I was able to pick it back up, and for me that says a lot. It's been a couple of weeks since I finished this book and it still stays with me.
With a small southern town setting and characters that are loveable and struggling, you find yourself crying along with them and laughing right beside them experiencing their joy. The magic all around is a great story of family, loss, healing, and lost love, and I'm so glad Moorman brought us along for the ride.
P.s. one of my favorite characters was the house.

thanks for the arc but, this book was the definition of "terrible raw pasta" also the perfect example of "I'm not like the other girls" syndrome

So glad I was able to read this book! It was a magical family, friendship, love meant to be type of story. The characters were lovely and totally legit. I look forward to reading more by this author. Lived it. Recommend!!

The Magic All Around
By: Jennifer Moorman

5 Stars

For the first time in as long as Mattie can remember, she is alone with no place to go. With the passing of her mother and the loss of their nomadic life, she now has to find a new path. Little does she know that her mom may just have a plan for her. With help from her Aunt Penelope and a very odd set of guidelines set out by her mothers will, she may just be on the path to her future yet.

I loved this story. It was truly magical. I loved the characters. ALL of them made this story. I found myself giggling a few times. The storyline was fun to follow. It had bits of sadness and drama but still presented the reader with a funny and heartfelt read at the same time. It was well written and descriptive. It just had a "feel good" feeling when reading. At least for me. I loved picking this story up and hated to finish it. The romance was sweet and so heartfelt and real.

Overall, if you love a good story, you will love this. If you love or just need a little magic in your life, you will love this. I know I enjoyed it greatly. This story was by far one of the best I have read in a long while.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Reviews

DNF. I couldn’t get in to this one unfortunately. But I did like the style of writing so I would try other novels by this author.

Jennifer Moorman creates an enchanting novel with rich characters. Is it magic or is it destiny if you stop to watch the signs? It is a wonderful journey of a young woman searching for her past intertwined in a mystery quest after her mom dies. A magic house that has a voice of its own so well written into the story that one wonders if all homes have a voice we do not hear. This novel was a breath of fresh air with family charisma and romance. This was my first Jennifer Moorman novel and now I will be looking into her other books as well.

There was something about this book that I just loved. I guess it was magical. Mattie was raised by a single mother and never knew about her father. She didn't even know if her father knew about her. Her Mom & her always moved from place to place. They stayed in one place for generally 2 years. When Mattie was in her 20's her mom passed away leaving Mattie alone. She packed up and moved to Ivy Ridge to be with her Aunt Penelope until she could figure out her next step in life. The Russell house in Ivy Ridge turned out to be another character in the book. The house would make things happen. Music would randomly play that was the mood that Mattie was in, or if she was with Jonathan, the music would turn to something romantic or in tune with what was happening in their relationship. If the house didn't like what you were thinking it would let it be know by maybe having things fall off shelves or locking doors. In Mattie's mother's will, there was an inheritance but there were stipulations that Mattie has to fulfill in order to get the money. She had to stay in Ivy Ridge until her tasks were completed. She was afraid to make friends or have relationships because she was never in one place long enough to know how. The Ivy Ridge village was a great place, the Russell House was awesome. I loved the characters in the book and the drama that played out. This is a book about learning how to appreciate family and what is important in life. Also learning to trust people. It was magical and fun to read.
Thanks to #netgalley, #harpermuse and @jennifermoorman for an ARC of this delightful book.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. I think this author is probably not for me as I didn't really love The Baker's Man. The magical realism is sweet and heartwarming, but there were many things that didn't work.

There are these "magical" sisters, Penelope and Lilith, who live in a house with a bit of magic itself. Lilith has a daughter Mattie, and they have spent life flitting hither and yon, moving when Lilith felt like it. Now Mattie is twenty-five, Lilith has died and Mattie returns to the house with Penelope to wrap things up. She encounters Jonathan, a guy she met years ago and harbored a crush on for years.

First off, I didn't like Mattie at all. She was self-centered, rude, and her personality and choices absolutely grated on me. She couldn't see that her mother wasn't this perfect person, she couldn't even spare a moment to possibly consider other options for her life other than what her mother had done. Even when Mattie finds out about her father and what her mother had been hiding, none of the reasons why worked for me. It just added selfishness on top of selfishness.

The ending is very abrupt. There was SO much time focused on the setup and the tasks from Lilith and everything and then bam! it's over. Happily ever after. la la la.

The magical realism isn't enough of a focus either. It doesn't develop like I thought it would. I wanted more of a fully developed story and this just ended up to be a insta-love type romance with a few magical elements thrown in.

Book Name: The Magic All around
Author: Jennifer Moorman

ARC
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for an ARC of The Magic All Around by Jennifer Moorman

Stars: 3.5
Spice: 0

Standalone
Medium Paced
Multi-POV
Southern Magical Realism

- Thoughts.
- Similar to Sarah Addison Allen
- Hallmark vibes
- Sweet
- Pallet Cleanser
- Cozy Fantasy
- Tigger Warnings (Miscarriage off page and Maternal Loss)
- Family and Finding Family
- Enchanted House
- Second Chance Romance
- Letting Go

I loved this book, I have a soft spot for Southern Magical Realism. Books like Garden Spells and First Fruits by Sarah Adddison Allen are cozy fantastical reads that feel like they can happen one town over, and Jennifer Moorman captured that same vibe and magic. the ending was a bit hallmarky with the phone and cliffhanger proposal… but overall a wonderful cozy cotton candy read.

A magical, extraordinary story! The Russell women are special… they have gifts. Lilith charms people without trying and Penelope sews magic into the clothes she makes. The house is special too. It feels and listens and helps them. Lilith left years ago and constantly traveled with her daughter Mattie. When she unexpectedly dies, Mattie goes back to Ivy Ridge, where she’d spent many a magical summer. She leans that her mom left a series of tasks for her to complete to receive her inheritance. Are they random or is her mom trying to lead her somewhere?

Reminiscent of Practical Magic! Well written, sweet, and such a heart warming story. I loved this one!

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

This was one of those books that immediately started out giving me that 5 star feeling from the first page and stayed there throughout the whole first half. Somewhere in the second half when resolutions started happening though, this quickly dropped down to a 3 for me, unfortunately.

The good: this story really succeeded with creating a fantastic atmosphere. The house being its own character, the light magical realism undertone, and the descriptive beautiful writing all pulled me in immediately. I loved the practical magic, Gilmore girls, vibes that I was getting and the familial relationships were another big plus.

The bad: this book really started to let me down when we started getting resolutions. Every one seemed so rushed and lacking depth or tension. Things were so quickly tied up with a neat little ribbon and it almost felt as though the author really just rushed the last third of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
A sweet and enchanting novel about the relationship between mothers and daughters.
I was not sure at first if this would be a book I would enjoy but after I started it I realized it just pulled me in.
Enjoyable, hard to put down and enchanting.

The Magic All Around by Jennifer Moorman is a story that explores relationships between mothers and daughters, the meaning of home, community, and found family.

The Russell women have gifts. The house they reside in is supposed to be enchanted and has a mind of its own. If it is displeased, it shows that in a very obvious manner. However, these gifts come with a price. Sophia, Penelope, Lilith, and Mattie are all Russell women. Mattie, Penelope's niece, and Lilith's daughter wants to belong somewhere. She is in search of herself. What follows is the story of her finding more.

I fell in love with the cover of this book. I believe that hummingbirds are my spirit bird, and the hummingbird references throughout the book made me fall in love with the magical realism of this story. It's whimsical and magical, but at the same time, it's about relationships. I enjoyed this magical story of Ivy Ridge and plan to read more books from Jennifer Moorman.

Thank you, Harper Muse @harpermusebooks, for this book.

CW: Grief, death of a parent

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoyed the family dynamics of this novel. I wish there was more about Mattie and Jonathan’s relationship. The ending seemed rushed to me, but it was open enough for there to possibly be a sequel in the future. That may just be wishful thinking on my part.

First of all, this cover is amazing. Honestly, the cover is what drew me to the book. I had not heard of this book, nor heard of this author. I fell in love with the cover. And then to understand the significance makes it even more wonderful.

I've also discovered that I am a huge fan of magical realism. I love it when magical, mystical things happen because of inanimate objects or because of the powers that some people possess.

The Magic All Around is truly magical. When Mattie is forced to go back to the place where her mom grew up—because it was never a place that Mattie called home—people and things try to get her to stay. As Mattie fulfills the conditions of her mom's will, she starts to uncover the truth of her life and where she fits into the whole scheme of things. I especially loved how the house and the radio played such a big part in making Mattie realize where she needed to be.

I loved my trip into Mattie's world, her family, and her community as she tries to get over losing her mom. This was a great escape read and I immediately looked up more books my this author. I just have to read more! I highly recommend The Magic All Around.

Jennifer Moorman's latest novel, THE MAGIC ALL AROUND, is enchanting— a magical journey about the memories of places and people we carry throughout our lives —sometimes physical mementos and others intangible.

Meet the Russell family. Eldest Penelope, her younger sister, Lilith (free-spirited), lives with her daughter, Mattie (independent and artistic).

Lilith left the family home in Ivy Ridge, Georgia, and has been flitting like a hummingbird from place to place with her daughter, Mattie, in the decades since, only returning each summer to drop Mattie off with Lilith’s sister, Penelope.

The old Victorian Russell home is at the center and has its own personality. The house often understands the family's needs before they do. It keeps their secrets, shares in their joys, embraces them when they grieve, and gives them the push they need.

When Mattie finds herself back in the family home after her mother's unexpected death, she has no desire to stick around in this small town. She is accustomed to living in a new city every few years with Lilith as her sole companion.

She hesitates to get involved in the Russell family secrets and their special gifts.

But while reading the will, the family is shocked to learn Lilith included a testamentary trust that requires Mattie to stay in Ivy Ridge long enough to complete a series of seemingly absurd tasks to claim her inheritance.

Mattie soon discovers her mother had a plan that would lead her to discover her birth father as well as teach her things about love and life. That staying in one place can produce something magical.

Beautifully written; what a stunning cover with the hummingbird— a reminder to keep our hearts open to receive the magic around us daily.

THE MAGIC ALL AROUND has a strong theme of mothers and daughters and their relationships—some we are born with and others we receive as a bonus.

From friendship and love, art, nature, self-discovery, and being true to yourself. Enchanting and thought-provoking for Southern fiction fans and authors Sarah Addison Allen, Laren Denton, Sarah Jio, and Meg Shaffer.

Thanks to Harper Muse and NetGalley for a gifted early reading copy for an honest opinion. I look forward to listening to the audiobook narrated by the fabulous Kathleen McInerney.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Jan 16, 2024
My Rating: 4 Stars
Jan 2024 Must-Read Books
Jan Newsletter

I started reading this book with the mindset that I probably wouldn’t like it so well, but my opinion changed rather quickly as I kept reading. Another reviewer calls the book “enchanting “ and that description resonated with me.

When I was a little girl, I ascribed feelings to inanimate objects, such as my clothing. I’d talk to a dress not chosen, for example, and tell it I would wear it next time! So in this book with a house that was a character with feelings, I wasn’t put off. In fact I think the author did a great job with each of the characters.

I received this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review. Four stars!

If you like Practical Magic, you will like this book. I love all of Jennifer Moorman's books, but this one might be my favorite yet. The story follows a multigenerational family - the Russell women - as they navigate life after loss. I found that this book handled grief really well (and accurately). Although the subject is at times heavy, this book, in my opinion, is joyful and full of light. It is definitely a story about finding the magic in every day life (true to the title). One of my favorite things about it are the way Jennifer describes things. The house has magic itself, all of the objects are magical, and the people have enchanted abilities. But it's not just that - this book makes me want to wake up and cook breakfast for a house full of family members and loved ones. There are so many descriptions of yummy food, pretty gardens, even the house itself comes alive on the pages. It explores family dynamics, finding your own identity, and more, wall wrapped up in a pretty package. There are lots of small details and long descriptions in this book, to the point that you feel like you're there, standing in the kitchen or in the back yard at Halloween. I also liked that each character had depth and were more than what met the eye. The characters were likable and also not - aka they were human. All around, I think this book does a great job of capturing the human condition as well as the pretty, magical details that make life worth living. Maybe I just liked it because I would do exactly what Lilith did, ha. (No spoilers). I found The Magic All Around to be funny and charming and I'm glad that Jennifer put it out into the world, because we all need more magic, especially when times aren't as happy as they might seem.

The Russell women are known for their special abilities, and the large Victorian home the live in has powers of it's own. While Lilith has the ability to persuade anyone to give her what she wants or needs, Penelope's magic is in her sewing. With each item of clothing that she makes for someone, she imbues it with whatever the person needs - things like courage, joy, or love. Lilith's daughter Mattie paints beautiful paintings of things that she can picture in her mind, things she has never seen before, and then those paintings are immediately sold to people who have a personal connection to those places that she painted. The house has a radio that turns on automatically, and plays random songs that fit the current situation. Doors refuse to open unless you ask them nicely. Items rearrange themselves in the pantry.

When Lilith was pregnant with Mattie, she left the Russell house and started traveling. She and Mattie never lived in one place more than two years, but Mattie didn't mind the bohemian lifestyle they lived, because it was all she knew. Then, unexpectedly, Lilith dies when Mattie is in her twenties, leaving her all alone. She heads to the Russell house for the funeral and to figure out what she is going to do next. Then, as she is all set to leave Ivy Ridge, she gets an unwelcome surprise, her mother left her a series of tasks that she must complete to earn her inheritance, with Penelope overseeing the process. At first, Mattie balks at the process, but then she slowly leans into it. Mattie soon realizes that if she completes the tasks, she may unearth her mother’s secrets, including the identity of Mattie’s father. She may also discover more about the Russell family “gifts” and why Lilith chose Penelope’s former love to be the executor of the will. She may even learn how and why Jonathan Carlisle, the boy who stole her heart ten summers ago, also happens to be back in town. Then, maybe she can figure out where home is for her..

This book was utterly charming, and I was unable to put it down. This is perfect for fans of Alice Hoffman and Karen Hawkins. It was the perfect combination of magic, romance, and just a hint of mystery. I loved all of the characters in the book, which is a rarity for me. The storyline kept me engaged and between the quest to figure out who Mattie's father was, what happened between Penelope and Stephen all those years ago to break them up, and then the intrigue about the phone that doesn't ring, kept me glued to the pages. I highly recommend this one!