Such a fun cozy read. This is a story that I felt like I could apply to my life. Following freshly turned 30 Belladonna as she fights to keep her magic just reminded me that there are many things we take for granted. She only had a month to prove that she was worthy of her magic or loose it forever with people in the shadows praying on her downfall. I loved the found family elements and how everyone came together. This had just the right amount of everything from magic to romance to a little bit of a mystery to uncover. This gave me similar vibes to Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna which is one of my all time favorite cozy witchy book. Such a fun read perfect for the fall cozy vibes.

This just did not hit for me. Belladonna, Belle, is a nervous wreck and a people pleaser. She's called to the local Coven on her 30th birthday to prove she deserves her magic. Somehow she didn't know this was a thing. She's been a witch for 15 years, has a grimoire that would tell her about LITERALLY all of it, works in a bookstore and somehow didn't read THE most important book in her life. Something happens during her Trial and she ends up with a second chance to prove she deserves her magic. She gets a month, during which she mostly wastes it, but slowly rediscovers her love of magic. Some convoluted background plot to sabotage her efforts and steal her magic leads to a conflict at the end, on Halloween.

It all fell very flat. The middle was such a slow, drag through minimal plot, a weird romance moment that was out of left field, and just Belladonna being spineless for a while. I also really don't like/get a lot of British humor or slang so there wasn't much in this for me unfortunately.

Calling all cozy witchy readers, this one is for you! Perfect fall vibes, set around Halloween, a little witchy mystery.. What more could you ask for?!

I was surprised at how deep the world building was in this book. The magic system and the history of the coven were really well done. I was entranced with the story and found myself feeling like I could jump right into the book with the characters. It was descriptive and well thought out.

I loved the pacing- every time I thought things were dying down and I could safely go do something else, things ramped up again! I loved how mysterious the story got and I didn’t even guess how this would end. The story was twisty but low stakes, making it the perfect cozy read.

Belle was a solid, relatable heroine. I enjoyed reading her journey to self acceptance and confidence as she learned to love her magic. All of the side characters were wonderful and added a lot to the story. I liked how there were a lot of different themes that popped up, it gave it a lot of depth. It was fun to read something that didn’t lean heavily on romance for once, though I would love to read more about these characters and if something happens beyond what’s written in this book!

On that note, I will definitely read more of this author’s work when her next book releases and her future works too!

Overall, I definitely recommend this for anyone looking for the perfect cozy, low stakes, witchy October read.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group/Ace for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Rewitched is the story of Bella, a witch turning thirty, which is coming of age in the wicce world. At 15, Bella’s magic appears, at 30, she has to appear before the coven
to prove herself worthy of her magic. Bella has spent her adult years trying to fit into non-wicce society & is not ready. She is assigned a disgraced mentor, & everything seems to be set up to make Bella fail. Is it her imagination, or is there something really out to get Bella, & why?

Rewitched was a slow build for me. I found myself about 1/3 of the way in, and I was ready to DNF. When Bella is assigned a disgraced mentor, the story picks up & I binge read the rest of the story immediately. If you’re someone who can push past a slowly moving story to reap a rewarding story, then give Rewitched a try! It’s a cute, yet slightly sinister coming of age story with a splash of turmoil, family trauma, & love.

I really enjoyed this read. It surprised me with it's depth and world building.
I really enjoyed the kind of high stakes but still cozy vibes this book gave.
I do wish the fmc read more mature than she did. She came off kind of young.
But i still enjoyed it.

This is a cozy coming-of-age story with a unique and engaging magic system. Belladonna Blackthorn is a witch living among the unmagiced. In an effort to keep her powers hidden, she’s done very little to develop them. Aside from some juvenile spells, Bella has largely squandered her magical gifts. But everything changes on her 30th birthday, when she receives a summons to appear before the coven and be tested. The results will determine whether she’s worthy of keeping her powers at all.

I fell in love with this world. The world-building is vivid, the characters are well-written, the banter and comedic elements are perfectly placed, and the emotional beats are genuinely heartwarming. Watching Bella grow into herself is a joy—her journey feels incredibly real. Who hasn’t struggled with self-doubt? That relatability makes Bella leap off the page and feel like a friend sitting right next to me.

I may revisit this story in a few months—some books are just meant to be read during cozy season, with a cup of hot cocoa or tea in hand.

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group | Ace, and Lucy Jane Wood for the ARC of this delightful and magical read.

I really wanted to lthis book, it has all the elements I typically enjoy: witches, books, found family, and a cozy autumn setting. The writing itself was lovely and vivid; the world and magic system were well imagined, and I could easily picture the scenes, especially the charming Lunar Books. On paper, Belle should be a relatable and empowering main character. But in practice, I found her frustrating. Her constant indecision and lack of backbone made it hard for me to fully root for her.

While I enjoyed the magical elements and the overall message of self-discovery, the pacing dragged, especially in the middle, and I had a hard time getting emotionally invested in the characters or the stakes. Some of the character choices felt inconsistent, which added to that disconnect. I did love the found family aspect, but the slow-burn romance didn’t quite land for me. I never fully felt the chemistry, which made that thread of the story feel a bit flat.

The cover is stunning, and I was so ready for this to be a standout witchy read for spooky season, but unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my hopes. The story had potential, but the execution just didn’t quite come together. A stronger edit and more focus on character development and pacing might have made a big difference.

My copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Berkley/Ace for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A truly magical story! Belladonna’s journey to finding her true magic was a wild one. With a hottie watchman and a mysterious old man, things really get interesting.
The story starts a bit slow, but once Belle realizes she might lose her powers the story heats up. Also, her cat jinx is adorable. The magic was great, I enjoyed the different spells, brews and incantations. The ending was good, and I would be interested in a second book of written.

Thank you to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing Group | Ace for the opportunity to read this ebook.

Rewitched charms with its warmth, charming cast, and magical undertones. While the pacing and romance may feel too cozy for some, it delivers a genuinely comforting narrative about rediscovery, community, and reaching one’s full magical, and personal potential.

I don't read a ton of fantasy novels, but when I do, I prefer for them to be set in the "real world," and I like for witches to be involved. Rewitched sounded like it was right up my alle,y and now that I've read it, I can say it is definitely the kind of fantasy novel I like to read.

I would say this is a coming-of-age story, but the main character is 30 years old. So maybe it is more of a "finding your true self" novel. Bella is a very relatable character, even if she is a witch. She wants to please people but doesn't always have confidence in herself.

The supporting cast of characters is great, too. It is a group of friends that you would want to hang out with.

I don't want to say too much about the evil that is in the book, as it would be too easy to spoil the trials Bella must face. But I will say that the Big Baddie in this story shows you what would result if Delores Umbridge and Voldemort had a child together.

There are a couple of other things that felt to me as having Harry Potter influence. As a fan of the series (I did the midnight releases of several of the books and movies) it was fun to see these little touches. But if you have never read the series or are not a fan, it won't impact your enjoyment of this story.

If you are looking for a fun, light read that isn't a rom-com or cozy mystery, then you should definitely pick up this cozy fantasy.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Saturday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2025/07/rewitched-by-lucy-jane-wood-review.html

I wanted to love this book because I'm obsessed with the author's Instagram and the cover. but I found myself unengaged with characters and the story. the fmc is so annoying and not fun to root for. this one fell flat for me.

I realized after requesting this title that I likely wasn’t going to get around to reading it. The premise sounded really interesting when I read the summary, but over time, I just lost motivation to pick it up. I regret requesting it knowing I wouldn't be able to give it a fair review.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity and for providing access to the ARC. I truly appreciate it, even though this one ended up not being the right fit for me.

Belladonna Blackthorn works at Lunar Books and trying to prevent her toxic boss bankrupting it. The owner has been trying to sell it to her but she doesn't feel confident that she can run it or confident in her magic. Belle has a secret. She is a witch. She finds it hard to balance balance her normal life from her witchy one that not even her lifelong friend and roommate knows about. On her 30th birthday she is being summoned by her coven with a trial of tests to to claim her worthiness as a witch. She only has 30 days to harness her magic or lose it forever so she summons the help of her family of witches, a quirky mentor, and a handsome watchman named Rune sent to protect her, but there is something working against her. Mysteries and uncovered and old buried secrets are revealed and even some romance in between.

What a cute and cozy read and a touching story of family, self discovery and magic spells. I loved how Belle gained her confidence in herself and her magic. It was very reminiscent of Sabrina the Teenage Witch and even a cat named Jinx! I couldn't put this book down! This debut novel by author Lucy Jane Wood was a great read. I can't wait for the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for a complimentary e-arc copy of this book.

VIibe:

Slow Burn
Magical Trials
Fate of the FMC’s Magic is on the Line
Mystery
Sinister Forces at Work
Personal Growth & Self-Discovery
A Sprinkle of Romance
Third Person POV

Rewitched is certainly the bookish equivalent of wrapping yourself in a cozy blanket during the autumn, lighting a cinnamon candle, and exhaling all the stress of modern life. It’s warm, charming, and just a little bit magical, the kind of low-stakes fantasy that doesn’t need high drama to tug on your heartstrings. Lucy Jane Wood’s debut is a gentle, affirming story about coming into your own, with a witchy twist that gives it just the right amount of sparkle.

We follow Bella Blackthorn, a thirty-year-old witch who’s been quietly coasting through life, keeping her powers on the backburner while stuck in a rut of self-doubt and burnout. When she’s unexpectedly called to stand trial in front of the Witch Council on her birthday (as one does), she fails miserably and is given 30 days to prove she deserves to keep her powers. It’s a setup that’s whimsical on the surface, but underneath is a pretty heartfelt exploration of self-worth, aging, and the pressure to have everything “figured out” by your thirties which I can highly relate to right now in my life.

One of the biggest strengths of Rewitched is how grounded Bella feels. She’s funny, messy, insecure, and entirely relatable. If you’ve ever felt behind in life, questioned your potential, or looked around and wondered how everyone else seems to have their stuff together, you’ll probably see yourself in her like I did. Her journey is less about big magical triumphs and more about quiet growth, learning to trust herself, and leaning into the life she actually wants.

The book really leans into the cozy fantasy genre: think slower pacing, internal stakes, and heavy on character development. It’s not action-packed, and the first third especially takes its time setting the stage like I'm talking slooowly, way slower paced than I would have liked, but once you settle into the rhythm, it’s soothing in the best way. For the most part, the dialogue felt natural and funny, but there were a few moments that leaned a little too quirky or awkward. It wasn’t a huge issue, but occasionally it took me out of the story when a line felt forced. The six branches of magic Bella has to work through were a fun structure, though at times they did feel a bit repetitive, I would’ve loved to see the magic shake things up more dramatically in her day-to-day life, especially with her job.

The supporting cast is a highlight. Bella’s ragtag group of friends (and magical allies) is full of heart, and her mentor, Arty, easily stole the show. He’s mysterious, a little tragic, and endlessly entertaining. I knew there was more to him from the start, and when we finally learn about his backstory, it gave the story a deeper emotional thread I didn’t realize I was craving. The romance subplot, while not front and centre, is sweet and slow burn, though I did wish we got a little more depth to Rune, the love interest. He has all the ingredients to be swoony, but I wanted to see more layers to his character, especially given his age and hinted-at past.

The ending, while satisfying overall, wrapped up a bit too neatly for me like when it ended, I was sort of like what just happened and was surprised it ended. Still, the vibes were so strong throughout that I didn’t mind too much. I closed the book feeling content, like I’d just spent time with good friends in a world I’d be happy to visit again.

If you’re looking for an epic high fantasy full of twists and battles, Rewitched probably won’t scratch that itch, at all. But if you want a book that feels like a warm drink on a cool autumn afternoon, full of relatable characters, gentle magic, and self-growth, this is the one. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for whatever Lucy Jane Wood writes next. Anyway, I'm rambling here because I've been on a self discovery journey myself and can talk forever on these topics.

*Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group (Ace) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I like the plot - second chance to learn how to weild your magic. However, I do not like Belle. She spends most of her tlime crying and wringing her hands declaring she can't do something. Despite being immobilized by self doubt and the potential of doing the wrong thing, Belle consistently turns down offers of support.

Oh, what a delight this read was. This is a more high stakes cozy fantasy, but it fits the genre all the same. This is perfect for fans of Practical Magic. The ending made me think of the big battle in Halloweentown. They were quite similar but still unique in it's own right, and it was very nostalgia geared, so I loved that. The overall twist of the book, I had partly suspected, but I most certainly did not guess the entire picture. What a shocker!

This book follows Bella. Bella lives in the UK and works at a bookstore. We learn a few things off the bat, like the owner wants to sell Bella her shop so she can retire, and that the shop owner's son is an absolute jerk. (Thankfully, he is NOT the love interest, just another hurdle for her to overcome. Bella is visited by a strange, albeit attractive man looking for her and questioning why she has not responded to a letter. A letter that she never received. On her 30th birthday, she is expected to attend her trial and determine her worthiness as a witch. Things don't go in her favor, but she is given until October to pass a handful of trials with the mentorship of an unbiased person.

What You Can Expect:
📖Found Family
📖Mystery
📖Magical Trials
📖Witches
📖A Little Romance
📖Takes Place in the UK
📖Potion Mishaps
📖Things Can Get...Deadly

In a Nutshell: A cosy fantasy with an immature lead character who never acts her age. Decent plot intent but too padded out. More of monotony than magic. This was a slogfest for me.

Plot Preview:
Belle, a witch who hides her magical powers from the humans around her, used to enjoy working at Lunar Books, but her new boss seems intent on butchering any customer-friendly ideas in the name of corporate efficiency. To add to her troubles, just before her thirtieth birthday, there is a summons from her coven: there will be a trial to test her worthiness, and if she fails to pass the test, her magic will be stripped away. Belle has no choice but to prove that she deserves her magic, even if it means interacting with a mentor of questionable integrity and an intrusive “watchman” sworn to protect her.
The story comes to us in Belle’s third-person perspective.

Let’s begin with a hypothetical situation. Suppose you learn that you have a secret magical talent, and someone more experienced hands you a book to help you hone your skill. You ignore the book and use your magic as you wish for personal benefit. After more than a decade, the person comes and says that your prowess is going to be tested within a few days, else the consequences will be severe.
Question 1: What would you do?
A. Pick up the book and study as much as you can within the limited time to be well-prepared for the test?
B. Hurriedly peruse through the book for a couple of hours and try your best to wing your way through the test?
C. Ignore the book and go to the superiors *demanding* clemency, claiming that you had no idea that you would be tested?
Question 2: What would the senior who gave you the book do if they learnt that you weren’t aware of the test?
A. Offer an extension on the deadline but with a firm warning about not taking it lightly again?
B. Strip away your talent with no sympathy because you should have been prepared better?
C. Acknowledge that it was their fault for not telling you about the test (despite the fact that the book mentions it) and give you a special mentor to ace it on a future date?

If your answer is (C) for both questions, this book is for you.
My answer was not C.
While many readers don’t prefer unlikeable lead characters, I actually enjoy the complexity such characters bring to the narrative and the growth that we see in their personality as the pages go ahead. (Would ‘The Christmas Carol’ have been as impressive if Ebenezer Scrooge was a good fellow from the start?) However, there’s unlikeable, and there’s stupid! Belle firmly falls in the second category.
Belle is a paradox: entitled and wishy-washy at once. She has the tendency of being aggressive with some people without justification, and she also allows others to walk over her. She’s opinionated, but is also wary of other’s opinions. Can’t forget the biggest contradiction, which tears a big fat hole in the base premise: Belle is a book lover but she doesn’t even read the book gifted to her about her magical talents. (Why on earth would a bibliophile not read a book about magic!?!??)
It is next to impossible to accept that Belle is thirty! 🙄 At no point in the narrative does she behave in a mature, adult manner. Her only reaction towards issues is to throw a tantrum and either cry or yell about the unfairness of the situation. (Yeah, right! Welcome to adulthood, Belle!) I can’t even say that she behaved like a teen because my teen has more common sense and self-respect in her fingernail than Belle had in her entire body. No matter how the protagonist is, you should be able to root for them. But if I were in the panel that was testing Belle, I would have taken the opposing side because I found all the arguments against Belle legitimate.
One character says to Belle at one point in the narrative: "You sure have a lot to say for someone who doesn't really know that they're talking about." That sums up the main problem. And as a major chunk of the book aims to make us support Belle’s quest of saving her magic, I simply couldn’t enjoy the story.
Its not like Belle was the only problem area of this book.
😒 Mostly repetitive and boring in execution.
😒 Terribly slow pacing.
😒 Barely any scene development, with most of the progression happening only through conversations.
😒 A pile of descriptions (beautifully written in many cases) and hardly any story. If I had to crunch the plot to its bare essentials, the book would last just fifty pages or so.
😒 The lacklustre worldbuilding that doesn’t even explain how the interconnection between witches and “non-wicches” came to be. (On an aside, can someone please explain to me why witch and “wicche” couldn’t be spelt the same way though they mean the same thing and are probably pronounced the same way? What new fantastical nonsense is this?!)
😒 The budding relationship – I just didn’t see the connect! Why was the poor fellow so interested in a girl who didn’t ever speak a kind word to him? (To be fair, the romance is just a minor subplot and doesn’t steal away focus from the core story, which I appreciate.)
😒 It doesn’t take a genius to see how the story will end. So guessable!
😒 Oh, and a womb, aka the uterus, isn’t round like a bowl. 🙄🤦🏻‍♀️ It is shaped like an inverted pear. Issued in public interest!
On the positive side,
🥰 The cover: perfect for the genre
🥰 I do like the idea of seeing a protagonist who hasn’t figured out everything even at thirty. Even though I found her mostly annoying, this factor was refreshing.
🥰 Nice to see an older mentor instead of seeing a typical young guy who ends up being the romantic interest.
🥰 Ariadne, Belle’s human roommate. A bit overenthusiastic but still a delightful character.
🥰 A couple of the reveals in the climax.


As is clear, the skew of my feedback is heavily tilted towards the negative, and the five positives are for relatively minor reasons. Nothing about the book feels like it was written for adults. In fact, it seems childish even if read as a NA novel. The core content is so diluted that it could have worked far better as a 100-page novella.
This is the debut book by an established influencer. I wish I had known this before. Nothing against her, but influencer books tend to have bloated ratings because of their fan base. As someone from an older generation, I do not get this new trend of online influencers and don’t follow anyone in this category. I avoid books about and by influencers, so this entered my TBR only by fluke.
Sorry, but I cannot recommend this. YMMV. So please read other reviews and take a better-informed call.
1.5 stars.
My thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and Ace for making the DRC of “Rewitched” a ‘Read Now’ title on NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this didn’t work out better.

**Chapters 29-32 were great. The rest of my review is as follows**

ELEVATOR PITCH FOR THIS BOOK:

What if Bella Swan was a witch in a post-Hogwarts world, complete with magical sparkles. She's dealing with Witchy bureaucracy and navigating Potter-esque obstacles as she tries to prevent {the Vampire Council from "What We Do In the Shadows"} the coven executive board from stripping her of her powers on her 30th birthday.

Rune {Edward Cullen} is a 200 year old guy with a super-modern vocabulary who follows Belle {Bella} around "to protect (her)". He spends lots of time ignoring her boundaries while lurking in the shadows, clenching his jaw, making clever remarks, and/or staring broodingly into the distance. And of course she HATES him because she WANTS him. Just kidding! She HATES him. But she WANTS him. He punches her boss for making her cry so it's definitely true love and not toxic masculinity, no ma'am. They're mean to each other because they're secretly IN LOVE. I finally started skipping over anything related to these two and their "romance".

Belle is a complainer. All of her complaints could be solved through very minor steps that she stubbornly refuses to take, which makes the complaining extra frustrating. She hates her boss but consistently refuses the offer to become the boss herself. She "loses her best friend" because she refuses to have a simple conversation about what is going on in her life.

THEN, at the 82% mark, this book gets unexpectedly awesome and stays that way until the 92% mark. It was enough of a turn to push my rating up by an entire star. But the action is cliffhangered at its climax, THEN suddenly it's the final chapter where the characters are all explaining the aftermath to each other instead of us getting to see it all play out. In spite of the fact that I finished reading this book 15 minutes ago, I don't actually remember how it ends, which I guess beats the definition of "not with a bang but a whimper".

I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for access to a digital ARC. My honest review is my own opinion.

This was a very cute witchy romance. Definitely one to enjoy in the fall! I thought I knew where things were heading but there were some unexpected twists that kept it from being too predictable. I'm glad to see there's a companion book coming. Thank you Netgalley for this copy to read!

Belladonna Blackthorn hasn’t lost her magical spark, precisely . . . but she hasn’t seen it in a while either.

With her witchcraft under wraps and a toxic boss making her days miserable, Belle is struggling to keep her beloved Lunar Books afloat and just make it through the day. The last thing she has time for is perfecting her magic.

So when her thirtieth birthday brings a summons from her coven and a trial that tests her worthiness as a witch, Belle fears the worst. With only the month of October left to prove herself or risk losing her magic forever, Belle will need all the help she can get—from the women in her life, from an unlikely mentor figure and even from an infuriating coven watchman who’s sworn to protect her...