A sweet, easy read! These kinds of cozy fantasies have been really popular with my high school students, and this one has done well too. The fantasy/adventure/romance elements appeal to different kinds of readers, so I can see this one having broad appeal!

This was so close to being a 4 star, but I had to settle on 3.5. I loved the premise of it, and it gave me Studio Ghibli / Sabrina the Teenage Witch vibes with a little bit of Vampire Diaries because of the twins curse. It felt interesting, immersive, and cozy. It had enough elements of cottage core fantasy to feel like a warm bowl of soup while stilling having adventure. I felt like this was an original story with interesting, dynamic characters and great queer rep.

This was just too long. The last 100 pages or so felt like working through quicksand. I feel some parts of the middle could have been tightened up better so we could get to resolution quicker. I feel like some aspects got a little convoluted, and the main curse had such an obvious workaround that it actually irritated me when we got there. Especially since another character had already hinted at it so early in the book. It felt like “all this, for that?”

Either way I enjoyed most of this and would definitely recommend it as a cozy fantasy perfect for autumn.

Here are 15 reactions to "Practical Rules for Cursed Witches" by Kayla Cottingham that will help you add this to your TBR:
 
1. The dedication is one I loved. Look out for another post just on that.
 
2. I liked how all the chapters were titled with a rule that was filled with wisdom and at times funny.
 
3. The story started intense and had a lot of mixed feelings from the start, with ideas to some curses coming your way, and I was looking forward to it.
 
4. The hijacking of Delilah's Calling by Kieran, it made me angry and sad.
 
5. Delilah Bea's quest to break a family curse is both heartwarming and thrilling.
 
6. Cottingham's world-building is enchanting, with baking magic and a library of curses.
 
7. The family of our twins is just awful. Oh, we have the bad guys following our found family, and I enjoy how smart and witty our characters are. 
 
8. The characters are colorful and lovable, making the story even more engaging. They made me laugh, cry, sad, angry, and embarrassed too on their behalf. They made me shout at them too as to how stupid they are to not see what is in front of them. I love all of the crew.
 
9. I was shocked, surprised to know how the cursed were intermingled and their history.
 
10. The magic left me in awe and wanting more of it.
 
11. I liked and found it relatable how the author had a lead who reads smut books under the breakfast table and teases her brother with some of our favorite tropes.
 
12. A delightful Sapphic fantasy that captivated me from start to finish. I read it in one sitting.
 
13. A magical journey that blends romance and fantasy seamlessly.
 
14. #girlpower Go girls! Delilah and Briar are brilliant.
 
15. A charming and believable fantasy world that feels both fresh and familiar. I want more of this

I love reading cured witches who ends up falling in love when they are not suppose too. It makes the greatest plotline to read. Plus, it has engage from the beginning. Like, I need to know what the main character is going to do. Like, how can she pick?!? Hard choice.

A solid concept here with a decent cast of characters. It's a bit dense and the writing is a little meandering, so it's not for the faint of heart. I like the exploration of curses and a world with strict rules for magic, the ideas about who is admired and who has power. But if you're looking for a thrilling read with consistent characters, perhaps look elsewhere.

This is a soft DNF for me. I liked the first chapter a lot and I think a lot of people will really like this one! I just have not had the time to really sit down and do an in-depth read.

Delilah's life is a conundrum. By birth she is cursed, like all the women in her family, to never find love yet she is also the daughter of a famous cursebreaker. When it comes time to claim her Calling and become a full-fledged witch, Deliah is determined to break her family's curse. Unfortunatley Callings can be hijacked. In comes Kieran, the son of the powerful Pelumbra family. He hijackes Delia's calling by claiming his curse will cause him to die. Every generation the Pelumbra family has a set of twins that are doomed. In Kieran's case his twin Briar is draining his life and magic making him weaker and her into some kind of a monster.

The three joined together to try and figure out a way to break the Pelumbra curse before it is too late. The family is of no help and as it turns out neither is Delilah's famous father. Tension also arises between Delilah and Briar. With so many distractions and road blocks, fulfilling her Calling will be tougher than expected.

This was a wonderful story that had me hooked from page one. I will be recommending this during readers advisory.

Cottingham has written a perfect decent ya fantasy with sapphic romance. Something about the start of the novel just felt really slow and never drew in readers the way one would hope. Overall, if you can get into the book, it's a fun read, but it wasn't engaging enough to hold attention for long.

This was such a small, sweet, heartwarming, cozy fantasy. I love it when cozy fantasies also have something at stake, and still manage to have compelling, complex characters. I loved the characters as well as the story and the mystery and adventure this group of friends are embarking on throughout this book. It was such a nice change from the emotionally draining book I read previously.

Practical Rules for Cursed Witches is a queer fantasy romance from author Kayla Cottingham.

The magic system is set up well, and we get pulled into this desperate race to solve a deadly curse. With engaging characters, I am excited for book two!

I really enjoyed Kayla Cottingham’s previous two YA novels, but this one didn’t do it for me for some reason.

Practical Rules for Cursed Witches is a sweet, cozy YA fantasy with magic, curses, and found family. Delilah’s journey to break her family’s curse is filled with engaging characters, witty banter, and LGBTQIA+ representation.

A soft, sweet love story with a sharp edge set in a fascinating fantasy world. One of my favorite curse stories I've read in a while.

Found family is one of my favorite tropes and I think the author wrote it so well!! This was such a wonderful YA story and I can't wait for book 2!

I got this as a NetGalley arc! The cover attracted me to it mostly! It’s a cute lovely book I’d even consider it cozy despite it being about trying to break a curse that would lead to death if they don’t break it.

This is a great YA romantic fantasy, in the vein of witchy adult favorites like Practical Magic and more recent, cozier fare. I can't believe how well Cottingham pivoted from their earlier immaculate horror novels...they can do both so well!

This is a little above middle grades to me. I can see it as a 13+ read. The found family aspect is perfect for teens. It also has a lot of great representation of lgbtqia+ teen and adult romance without anything more suggestive than dancing and a kiss or two.

# Practical Rules for Cursed Witches
# 7/21/2024 ~ 11/3/2024
# 4.0 / 5.0

In order to keep their magic, witches must complete their Calling within 6 months. All the females in her family are cursed with never finding true love. Delilah decides her Calling will be to break her family's curse. Unfortunately, Delilah's Calling is highjacked by Kieran Pelumbra who enacts the Rite of Morality, meaning that someone suffering from a deadly curse can ask for a witch's assistance. The Pelumbra's are a wealthy family, but every generation a set of twins are cursed to drain the life from each other. One must die to keep the wealth going. Delilah and Kieran set off to find his twin, Briar, before the curse kills him.

I loved this book and read it so quickly! I became invested in the story from the first chapter, and adored these characters. The characters all had distinct personalities, that you couldn't help but fall in love with. Delilah is such a fun main character. She is witty, and fiercely protective. Also love that she was a fellow 6 foot female, we love tall representation! Briar was so grumpy, and I loved watching her and Delilah grow closer. I loved the banter between them! Kieran was a sweet little angel and needs to be protected at all costs. The found family aspect is so well done. I thought the plot was extremely engaging and I couldn't get enough of these characters trying to break both curses.

I wish there was another book following these characters, I don't want to be done with them quite yet.

I really enjoyed this book, it was super cute!! I loved the plot about having to do a “calling” (with an unexpected twist!) and found it interesting especially since I haven’t read anything like it before! I wasn’t too sure about the romance aspect between two characters but the development was pretty darn cute and I became a fan in the end! Definitely a cozy, feel-good read!

PRACTICAL RULES FOR CURSED WITCHES is an absolutely charming, magical story. If you like found friendships, magic, curses, and a will-they-won't-they romance thread, then this is the story for you.