How to Fix a Flubbed Summon was a really fun and whimsical read. I was originally drawn in by the cover art, which is just phenomenal. The story follows Growina, a lovably messy witch who is seeking friendship.

After reading through a ton of contemporary witchy romances for the Halloween season, this was such a fun departure from the same tropes. This book is whimsical, sometimes silly, and totally captivating. I really enjoyed the writing style of L.N. Clarke whom I hadn't read before.

I had one small complaint - it didn't seem like there was a ton of world building, so sometimes there would be an inexplicable magical occurrence. I'm personally good with just going with the vibes, but some of the magic could be developed more.

I super appreciate Net Galley and Naughtobelus Books LLC publishing for allowing me access to an ARC copy of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Naughtobelus Books LLC for a copy of the e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:
Making friends as an adult can be difficult. Summoning one can be a disaster.

Thoughts:
I loved this book! This book was chaotic in the best way possible - you never know what the characters are going to do/say next. I loved the use of fun, inventive language throughout the book, it kept it lighthearted and interesting. The use of two story lines grabbed my attention and made me want to fly through the book to find out what was going to happen. I loved watching the story lines come together. And all of it happens because Growina just wants to have a friend. Girl, I get it, making friends is tough.

If you want a cozy, fun, fall book, I absolutely recommend this one.

tl;dr
A fantasy adventure in a whimsical world featuring a colorful cast of characters, and a playful narrative.

Thoughts
The author describes her work as whimsical, and I am inclined to agree. There's a playfulness to the narrative, with several tongue-in-cheek descriptions of this Very Serious World, and plenty of subverted expectations. The guide to plants in particular speaks with a dry humor that I really enjoy. World-building is a little wibbly, but this feels largely on purpose. It's a fun ride, and it's easier not to ask toooo many questions about what's going on with all the magic. From what I can tell, this book was originally written for Kindle Vella, which means chapters were released one at a time. You can feel this a little bit with chapters feeling more like short episodes rather than connected scenes, as it bounces between two separate story threads that eventually come together. Florian's arc feels more adventure-like in nature, and I found myself really liking the motley bunch of characters he fell in with. Growina's story starts more cozy fantasy-like, with a larger cast of slightly less endearing folks as she navigates things like making friends or trying to convince people to try new food. If you're looking for an adventure with bright characters and less baggage than your average fantasy, give this book a look.

As most people are in October, I have been in an exceptionally witchy mood, and this book scratched that itch for me perfectly. The characters were so lovely and the story was so fun to read. Highly suggest!!

Don’t expect an explanation for absolutely anything. If you’re into world building this won’t be your book. If you just want vibes you might like it.

For fun and witchy vibes perfect for any Halloween lover, How to Fix a Flubbed Summon will have you unable to put the book down, having too much fun, feeling the perfect fall ambiance, and just flat out loving every character you meet. Feeling much like an adult version of Halloweentown or Hocus Pocus, it has the perfect vibes and ambiance for any cozy halloween fans, and I can't recommend it enough,

A big thanks to NetGalley and Naughtobelus Books LLC for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Making friends as an adult can be difficult. Summoning one can be a disaster. Sign me up because this book is either going to be hilarious or all too relatable.

How to Fix a Flubbed Summon by L.N. Clarke is a fantasy novel about a woman just wanting to have a friend, even if she has to summon them. When apothecary Growina Crowe receives a witch’s grimoire as collateral, she attempts to summon an otherworldly companion. In the process, she forgets a boiling teapot, topples candles, and sets her herb garden ablaze. The next morning, a magic-eating monster besets her town, prompting a bounty hunt. Growina fears she may be responsible, but there are only two ways to find out for sure: wait for bounty hunters to catch her, or join one of the adventuring parties. Unfortunately, she lacks the social skills to make friends, or she would never have tried to summon one. Several cities away, actor Florian Honeybeard—unrecognizable without his feminine makeup—is mistaken for a soothsayer and accidentally kidnapped. To survive, he must improvise the role and assist a team of mercenaries. Their mission: collect the bounty on the magic-eating monster and apprehend the person responsible.

This book is all around hilarious, as it boils down to a person so desperate for a friend they summon a demon to be that person. The world building was good, I just wished I got to see a bit more of it. Overall, the plot was good with it's pacing. And I found myself laughing at every turned page. Who knew I needed something funny AND spooky.

How to Fix a Flubbed Summon by L. N. Clarke is an interesting story about Growina Crowe. Growina is an apothecary dealing in all types of plant matter used for magical purposes. While she loves her plants and her job, she is lonely. When a witch leaves a grimoire with her, Growina feels compelled to look inside - just because she is curious. (I would be too, and if you are honest, so would you!) But then she sees a spell to summon a friend. She has all of the "ingredients" so even with none of the training or skills, she thinks "Why not?" Of course things go wrong. She assumes the spell failed completely, but did it? Did she summon the "magic-eating beast" that shows up the next day?
Meanwhile, Florian Honeybeard , an actor who plays a female heroine, is out requesting donations to keep the theatre in business - but that goes wrong also. At one door, the group decides he is the soothsayer they have requested and he is kidnapped and thrust into the role. The group is a bunch of mercenaries who intend to earn a bounty. All they need is for Florian to use his (non-existent) powers to get them the inside information.

The stories do intertwine nicely and the characters became quite real in my mind. At some point the book became un-put-down-able, Late at night, I finally found a "resting place" so that I could sleep...but the next morning I read right on to the funny and surprising ending.
Thanks to Netgalley, L.N. Clarke and Naughtobelus Books, LLC for providing a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This book was a lot of fun. I wasn't sure at first, but I found myself drawn into the story of this lonely apothecary who just wanted to summon a friend. The world building was interesting and hints at a lot more history and lore than we get to see, which is almost a shame. I loved the ideas, and I wish we'd gotten to see more of them - I hope this is going to be a series!

The one thing I didn't like was the dual storyline. It felt like the author wanted to tell two different stories and wasn't sure which to tell, so told both at the same time. I feel like both stories were strong enough to stand on their own and be part of a series rather than trying to make them fit together. I hope we see more of all of these characters.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the eARC I received.

A fun, jaunty, roller coaster of a book, perfect for the Halloween season. Fast paced. Plot driven. Magic filled. The worldbuilding was fantastic. And there were even some laugh-out-loud moments.

There were places that could have used a bit more development. But overall, I really liked the story and the weirdness of the characters.