As someone who devours fantasy and magical realism—especially stories centered around witches—I was drawn to The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells immediately. Rachel Greenlaw weaves a warm, misty world that feels like wrapping yourself in a quilt inside a creaky old cottage, the scent of pine and old spellbooks in the air. It’s atmospheric in all the best ways.

This story leans more into emotion and memory than high-stakes magic, and while I would’ve loved to see the magical elements dialed up a bit, the spellwork that is here feels deeply rooted in nature, emotion, and ancestral ties. The romance is tender and wistful, a second-chance love that plays out gently across the pages.

That said, I did find myself wishing the characters had a bit more depth or development. Some moments felt just out of reach emotionally, especially for a novel that centers so much on connection, loss, and finding your way back—to home, to love, to yourself.

Still, Greenlaw’s writing shines in tone and atmosphere. This is a book best enjoyed with a warm drink on a rainy day, perfect for readers who enjoy The Nature of Witches or The Secret Book of Flora Lea. It’s a quiet kind of magic—subtle, comforting, and poetic. Not quite spellbinding, but definitely enchanting.

🌿✨ Book Review: The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells by Rachel Greenlaw ✨🌿

A beautifully lyrical, witchy tale about the magic of womanhood, memory, and the power passed down through generations. The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells is a tender, enchanting read that wraps you in warmth, wonder, and quiet strength.

What it’s about:
In a coastal village steeped in secrets and stories, three generations of women share more than just blood—they share a book of spells. As the youngest, Rowan, returns home, she must uncover the truth about her family’s magic, her mother’s past, and her own place in the legacy of the Woodsmoke women.

Tropes & Themes You’ll Love:
🌕 Generational magic
🪄 Quiet, atmospheric fantasy
🌊 Small-town coastal setting
💔 Healing & family secrets
👩‍👩‍👧 Feminine power & found identity

Rachel Greenlaw's writing feels like a spell in itself—gentle, haunting, and deeply resonant. Perfect for fans of The Lost Apothecary, Practical Magic, or The Once and Future Witches.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#TheWoodsmokeWomensBookOfSpells #RachelGreenlaw #WitchyReads #FeministFantasy #CoastalMagic #GenerationalStories #Bookstagram #MagicalRealism #AtmosphericReads #BookReview

This one was kinda in the middle for me. I liked the atmosphere — it’s whimsical and a little sad, with this quiet mystery running through it and a really unique take on magical realism. But I honestly found a lot of the characters kind of irritating, and I kept wishing we got more of the actual magic. It felt more like women’s fiction than romance or witchy fantasy, which just wasn’t what I expected going in. Still, there were parts I liked — just not totally my thing.

This author famously (to me, at least) wrote a Christmas book with the weirdest body horror groundhog day trope I've ever seen so obviously I was gonna read this one. Instead of body horror Christmas we get vaguely magical ladies living near sentient (?) and vengeful mountains. I enjoyed the atmospheric setting but the timeline and POV jumps were too much. Also, I am sort of disappointed the dude who crawled out of the mountains to help renovate a cottage inherited by the prodigal witch lady was Not actually a cruel party trick from the mountains and was a real boy :(

The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells
By Rachel Greenlaw
Narrated by Kristin Atherton
5 ⭐️

I crave books such as this one. The feel of it calms my nerves and lets me settle in to take it all in. It’s gloomy, steady, and wistful. There are threads of regret, things left unsaid, missed opportunities, powerful love, deeply anchored family history, the power of fate, and the cost of a bargain. Fantasy components dance around the edges of this story, present but not center stage. The plot moves along gentility like it’s a fog creeping in. There is no fast pacing, no rush to be some where, and I don’t think there should be. Sitting with the characters emotions is why this story works and what makes the feel of it so compelling. Keep the pacing in mind if you don’t love a slower moving tale. I thought the audiobook narration was perfectly executed. I slowed the listening speed down to let Atherton’s performance shine. I really loved this one.

Thank you NetGalley, Rachel Greenlaw, and Avon for an eARC of this story.

I didn't really enjoy this book - I think given the title I was expecting a lot more magic than I was given!

In the town of Woodsmoke the Morgan family of witches live - except for Carrie who decided she wanted to see the world and left 10 years ago. Well she's just returned to the mountain after her grandmother dies. There is a book of spells - the ownership of which belongs to Carrie's great aunt Cora but it doesn't seem to actually contain any spells..? It's just the life history of the women in the family who possess the book.

There are natural remedies given out in the town Cora lives in and some people think she's mad whereas others head to her when a strange rash appears and the doctors can't help and she'll "prescribe" sleeping upside down with the window open or something equally magical.

Anyway it's really a story of Carrie finding her place in the world and deciding if she will stay in Woodmsoke after she fixes her Grandmother's cottage up or if she'll sell it and leave. And that's it.

This had such a cozy, witchy vibe that I really wanted to love. The atmosphere was lovely, and there were some magical moments that stood out. But overall, it didn’t quite cast the full spell for me. It was a pleasant read with charm and heart, just not one that left a lasting impression. Still, perfect for those who love soft magic and cottagecore feels.

This story is absolutely perfect for fans of Practical Magic. It's filled with romance, complicated friendships, and just enough witchy vibes.

A decade after fleeing her small hometown and leaving behind everyone she ever loved, Carrie Morgan is forced to return when a relative’s will grants her a crumbling cabin deep in the woods. What should be a simple renovation becomes anything but—her former best friend won’t speak to her, her great aunt insists her return has reawakened a long-dormant curse, and a mysterious man in the forest may be the key to both her redemption and the town’s buried secrets.

A richly crafted story of lost love, second chances, and the quiet magic of coming home. This book did not disappoint!

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Woodsmoke Women's Book of Spells pulled me in immediately. Greenlaw's writing is gorgeous and I care about her characters. Each character is so vividly alive and real. The plot was wonderful!

The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells tells the story of Carrie Morgan. Carrie is returning to her hometown of Woodsmoke after leaving ten years ago. Her grandmother has passed away and Carrie has returned to settle the cottage her grandmother left to her. Carrie's return is a big deal for the town. Carrie left on the day she was meant to be married. Her ex-fiancé, old best friend, and her great aunt Cora are all affected by Carrie's return. Woodsmoke is a magical place and the mountains have not taken kindly to Carrie's departure. Carrie must juggle the reactions to her return and she also has to decide if she will stay in Woodsmoke. This is further complicated when she meets Matthieu, a stranger that offers to help her renovate the cottage. Aunt Cora has warned Carrie about mysterious strangers, but Carrie ends up falling for Matthieu.

This was a complicated read for me. I slogged through it. I expected magic and romance and instead the book was more of a family drama. The magic was very abstract. The book of spells written by the Morgan women is mentioned often, but the magic was quite simplistic. The romance seemed very rushed and was more of a mystery instead of a true romance. Much of the book is spent on the drama that took place 10 years ago when Carrie left Woodsmoke. This story focuses more on the aftermath and resolution of everything that happened back then.

My expectations for this novel ultimately led to me not enjoying it. While it wasn't for me, there is quite a lot to enjoy if you go in with the right expectations. If you love small cozy towns, family focused stories, and a light magical read, this book would be perfect for you. I think the comparisons to Adrienne Young do have some merit here.

I liked this book but it was not what I was expecting. This was a good combination between magical realism, mystery and love story. I was captured from the beginning and intrigued with the plot. I enjoyed not knowing if it was real or just a result of the main character imagination. I enjoyed the setting, the plot and the characters. But very sad to discover that there wasn't more magic. I think this book is being marketed wrongly by calling it a Fantasy and not magical realism.

Thank you Net Galley, Avon and Harper Voyager for an e-galley of this book.

This did take me some time to get into the story. It felt almost *too* close to practical magic.

Generational books aren't usually my favorite types of stories, mainly because I feel like I need a character map sometimes to remember all the different names. I did enjoy this story though once I made it through about 35% of it. I enjoyed Carrie as a character but I wanted more depth from Matthieu, I suppose that was intentional because we weren't suppose to know whether he was real or not but he felt a little flat for me.

I also wanted more magic. I didn't know if any of the magic was real, we were never shown any, only told through the tales.

Overall I enjoyed it, especially the fairytale like tone to it.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Wood Smoke Book of Women’s Spells is a whimsical, magical, and beautifully written folklore-inspired tale brimming with mystery, family drama, and romance!! But it’s so much more than that! Because it weaves together themes of grief, sacrifice, belonging, redemption, and the longing for home in a deeply emotional and enchanting way. This story captivated me completely, and I wholeheartedly recommend it!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a captivating and unique book about family folk lore, loss, and magic. Disregarding advice (and warnings) from her Aunt Cora, Carrie falls into a world which upends everything she thought she knew. The book is a bit slow and could have used more oomph, but I enjoyed the blending of real life themes of family, romantic love, and self-discovery with magical undertones.

Okay, sometimes this was slow paced and hard to read, but I really did enjoy the overall reading experience. It’s got its moments of joy and sadness. I think this was well written, but it gave me the pace of Weyward…

A spellbinding blend of magic, sisterhood, and mystery. Greenlaw crafts a beautifully atmospheric and empowering tale that will enchant readers from start to finish.

This book fell short for me. I overall enjoyed the read, but the pacing was a bit slow and I think readers should know that going into it, so they ultimately know they should stick with it.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.