2.5 Stars
One Liner: Underbaked and raw on the inside

Belladonna Blackthorn is burnt out. Between saving Lunar Books and concealing her witchcraft, she has no time or inclination to perfect her magic. However, she gets summoned by the coven on her 30th birthday to prove her worth as a witch.
With little time to work, Belle needs all the help from her family, mentor, and a handsome watchman sworn to protect her. She has to prove herself somehow.
The story comes in Belle’s third-person POV.

My Thoughts:
Imagine my delight when a friend (Rosh) said Berkeley made one of their books, Read Now. Though this was released last year, getting an ARC from the publisher is a big deal (for us from non-Western regions). Now, I wonder if I should have been less excited. This rating isn’t going to help my chances! *sniffle*
Right! So, about the book…
Cozy fantasy is one of my favorite genres, and if it has witches, even better! The premise is terrific, too. There are hints of danger, romance with a brooding hero, and a thirty-year-old book-loving witch learning to use her powers correctly.
What we get is a walking contradiction in the FMC. The only saving grace is that the POV is her third-person instead of first. That would have been a disaster.
Belle starts as a literal pushover, a doormat with confidence issues. Okay, fine. Her growth will be the arc. Nope. She has no issues being snarky and rude with random strangers and just about every other witch she meets. Think about it. You’re told you have to clear a test to keep your magic. You go there and act like a bratty celeb, all because you didn’t bother to prepare for the test.
Also, she has no reason not to ask for help. Maybe it’s just me, but I can’t understand why she is such a meek mouse when someone treats her like dirt, but swipes at others who are just there. What weird wiring is this?
She is told she is good at magic and is worthy of it. Nope, I don’t see it. Heck, take it from her and give it to me. I’ve been hoping for years that someone would tell me I have magic and it’s time to activate it.
What we are told and what we see are almost always the opposite with the FMC. She has no reason to be the way she is. It would have made sense if her backstory supported this. But there’s nothing there. Maybe being a 30-year-old with the maturity of a 13-year-old is a flex (mind you, I know better-behaved teens in real life). Sadly, not my jam.
The uneven pacing didn’t help, but the book got faster in the second half, so I’m willing to let this go. I saved a reading day, thankfully. That said, scenes that need time are over in a blink, and the ones that can be summarized drag on.
There is quite a lot of description. Some of it is good. The rest is just fluff. The book could… should have been trimmed by 50 pages.
The theme selection is good – self-love, self-confidence, family, relationships, believing in magic inside you, etc. However, the presentation is patchy and underwhelming.
And oh, there is no romance. I mean, there are traces of it, but I can’t even call it a slow burn. No real chemistry. Or, maybe I didn’t want to see it since I couldn’t understand why the guy liked her. Nothing endearing about her, if you ask me.
Those extra 0.5 stars are for the mentor. He saved the book in many ways. When I thought it would go downhill, he kept it alive despite the FMC’s attempts to sabotage it often. The mother was good, too. The bestie was a bit OTT, but at least her arc was steady and her heart was in the right place!

To summarize, Rewitched has a good premise and some worthy bare bones, but the execution and the characterization (especially the FMC) are erratic and inconsistent. This needs some depth for the themes to matter.
Thank you, NetGalley and Berkeley (Ace), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

What do you get when you combine cozy fantasy, magical school vibes, and learning to believe in yourself? This book!

Belle is such a relatable heroine!! She struggles with self-esteem but she does it in a not-whiny way and she’s open to learning and improving when the opportunity presents itself.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for an ARC of this book! This is my honest review.

Belladonna Blackthorn has magical powers but has never really been interested in her magical heritage. This comes back to bite her when she is notified that she must pass a trial of her magical worthiness. To assist her in this quest she is assigned a magical mentor that no one else would want due to his sketchy past. She is also assigned an annoying but handsome watchman.

This book was so delightful. Belle was such a relatable character. Feeling overwhelmed with life and stuck with a boss that doesn't actually value you. I also really loved the community she had around her. I especially loved the friendship that formed between Belle and Artorius, there was so much love and care there. This is also a very nice slow burn romance. Belle and Rune had great chemistry. I enjoyed that there was a bit of a mystery too. There were some interesting twists and turns. This was my first book from Lucy Jane Wood. I look forward to reading what she writes next, especially if it is in this world.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A lively and entertaining read for the most part. Easy to digest and not stressful. The ending could have been handled better and with more clarity, it seems kind of cobbled together at the last minute and too much was squished in.

Belle has always been discreet in her use of magic ever since her coming-of-age 15th birthday. Living in a non-wiccan world with a regular roommate and a normal job at Luna Books has kept her on her toes when using magic. But she totally forgot about the momentous upcoming 30th birthday and what that means to a witch. Her first clue is when Rune pops in with an invitation to her "trial." Evidently the first invitation went astray, so the coven want to make sure she receives this one. With no choice but to attend, she finds her way to the designated location and finds herself totally unprepared for the preface to her trial. This was a very enjoyable story, and I loved the main characters and their interactions with each other. As Belle relearns her magic, she also learns what magic means to her personally, as well as finding more confidence and assurance in her actions, both in the magical world as well as in the non-wiccan world. Disclosure: I am voluntarily review this book received through NetGalley, and all opinions are strictly my own.

Thank you to Lucy Jane Wood and Berkley Publishing Group for letting me read this ARC via NetGalley.

Genre: Cozy Fantasy
Vibes: 📚🧙‍♀️🍂🕯️🐈‍⬛🌙
Rating: 4.0⭐️
Tropes: halloween / found family / magical realism / mentor-mentee / personal growth

I loved that this book was about a witch coming into her 30s and rediscovering her magical heritage. When Belle is assessed on her birthday and deemed unworthy of having magical powers by the coven council, she's sent to train to prove that she knows how to use it. I really enjoyed seeing Belle grow as a witch and all the drama that was associated with that. Nothing too crazy, but this book was a nice escape from my typical sci-fi or romance reads.

Belle is a 30-year-old witch working at Lunar Books in London, hiding her bit of magic from the world, when she is suddenly surprised to find herself summoned by her coven to prove she deserves to keep her magic through various magical trials.

With a focus on self worth, the writing was totally charming (as was the audiobook narrator!). Overall, It wasn’t ground breaking material but it was lovely to read. If you enjoy cozy witchy bookish books with cinnamon buns and grimoires, this one is for you.

This was the perfect read I was looking for. Cozy, magical, funny, and the feeling of autumn in it. Well-written book!

Cozy with a dash of excitement and adventure.

This was a lot more plot-heavy than I was expecting, which I think is a solid choice for a book like this if you can do it without sacrificing the safety of the cozy plot (no problem there) and do it without skimping on vibes and atmosphere (I wanted more, but it’s not absent in this one). I also really appreciated that this isn’t too romance heavy or predicated on tragic backstory.

I definitely wanted more witchy vibes, more of the bookshop, and more traditional descriptive cozy elements. But it’s a good story that is solidly plotted, boasts a surprisingly well-developed story, and makes good use of a sort of quest motif in the protagonist’s narrative arc.

The issue of playing it safe at the expense of being your most actualized self is a good one, and the book handles the subject gently and via a well-structured journey for the protagonist rather than a lot of wallowing and manufactured angst.

In all, a solid offering. I’d read another.

This book is a warm hug reminding you that you’ll be okay and that your younger self is proud of how far you’ve come. Truly a wonderful read that healed something in my burnt out self. The characters are relatable and loveable. Exactly what you need if you are looking for an uplifting story.

What a cozy little witchy read! Belle is content spending her days in a quaint little bookstore with her best friend. But when she turns down taking over the bookstore and the owner puts her own number-crunching son in charge, Belle begins to question her place and purpose. Suddenly, she’s tossed into tests of her witchy abilities, use, and worthiness upon her 30th birthday, and the anxieties and pressure of life she thought she had before don’t even begin to compare with her uncertain future. This was a great little story about family ties, finding your place, accepting your purpose, and realizing who really matters along the way. I enjoyed the plot sad characters and had a grand time. Many thanks to NetGalley and Pubisher for this entertaining read!

Belladonna is struggling with the changes Lunar Books owner'son is making to the bookstore's operation.
To add to her problems. She has just learned that she is in danger of losing her magical powers if she doesn't
pass the evaluation of her skills.. Bella realizes that she doesn't wish to lose her powers and agrees to a mentor
who will help her complete six spells. Family secrets uncovered as Bella learns what is truly important to her
with the support of family and friends. Story of personal growth and discovery.
#Rewitched #BerkleyPublishingGroup #NetGalley

"What['s] the best that could happen?"

Life is full of magical moments ✨️ if we slow down and pay attention. This story had all the right elements of what can happen if you set aside fears of not being enough and step into fully owning your power. Such a wonderful cozy read!

This novel was a breath of fresh air that I desperately needed. The only reason it took me a few days to finish was because of work; otherwise, it would have been a quick and very enjoyable read.

There was witty dialogue, lively London settings, bookshops and coffee and tasty treats, and a sprinkle of magic on top of it all. All in all a very enjoyable read!

A burnt-out witch with low self-esteem is given a month with an eccentric mentor to learn her magic before it is stripped away.

Bella runs a bookstore that she has dreamed of buying, but is too afraid of failure even to take the chance. This describes much of the character, who has the low self-esteem of a young teen instead of a fully formed adult. In many ways, this made it a dreary read, but the side characters were lovely and engaging. Hopefully, with characters with a spine, Lucy Jane Wood's writing will be able to shine through.

I didn't hate this book, however, there was a lot going o,n and I think it could have used some tightening to become the best it could be.

Thank you to Net Galley, Ace, and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Belle comes from a long line of witches. Her coven decides to test her in a series of challenges, while someone is trying to take away her magic. I feel like basically Belle went to family therapy during the challenges. This was a very unique story and the magic system was very complex. More cozy than scary.
Thank you to Ace for the copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

3.5 stars! Belladonna is the cutest character who is really trying her best. Without giving anything away this book is the perfect cozy fantasy read and has the perfect autumn setting I will be re-reading this in the fall months. This book was giving self-love to me, and that its important to to give yourself Grace, because in life so many things are uncertain, and we have to try our best!

Belladonna Blackthorn is about to turn 30 and she is still trying to figure out her life and her magic. It's been a struggle working with her toxic boss at Lunar Books and trying to hide her magic from non-wicches. And things get even more complicated when she receives a summons from the Selcouth coven, for a trial to test her worthiness as a witch. Now Belle is faced with the chance that she could lose her magic forever, while working with a questionable mentor and trying not to fall for the handsome coven watchman that has been assigned to protect her.

Rewitched is a feel good, witchy romance that is the perfect cozy read. I absolutely loved this book, and thought it was well-written. The existence of magic and witches blended easily with the modern world. I also enjoyed part of the book setting being in a book store, because it always adds to the cozy atmosphere of a story.

Belle's character was very relatable, and I loved that Wood focused much of the story on her search for self-confidence in all aspects of her life. It's hard having it all together, and I appreciated that Wood created an FMC that is still trying to figure things out. I also loved the relationships that Belle had with her mother and grandmother, her best friend Ariadne, her mentor Artorius, and the love interest Rune. There is some great banter between Belle and Rune, and I felt like their relationship brought just the right touch of romance to the story.

I really loved the part that the coven played in the story, and the trials that Belle had to face. Her mentorship with Artorius was one of my favorite parts of the book, and I enjoyed seeing how Belle's use of her magic started to unfold. There is also a great sense of suspense, when Belle's magic begins to come under threat and past secrets and betrayals begin to come to light.

Rewitched is the perfect cozy paranormal read, if you love stories with self-discovery, slow burn romance, magical trials, secrets and betrayals, and found family.

I very much enjoyed reading this story. It's a cozy, feel good and easy to read story, especially if you are looking for an escape. I loved the growth of the main character, Belle. All the female characters in this book are strong women, even with their flaws. The story also has strong family themes, which the author uses well to help move the story forward. I will say the twist at the end did catch me off guard and that rarely happens. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

REWITCHED is a cozy tale about a mild-mannered witch facing an unforeseen trial to retain her magic when she turns 30. It starts out lovely enough and the world-building and character development are strong and compelling. But our heroine is too timid, and our author too wordy, to keep this plot afloat. The writing style is too flowery and adjective-laden to hold this reader’s attention. But, I am an older reader with many years of witchy-reading behind me. I would have loved this book as a young adult reader. For that reader, this book will be a delight. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.