“I’m sorry, she said silently to her past self. I’m sorry I hated you. I’m sorry I wasn’t kinder.”

A Witches Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
Pub Date: 7/15/25
Format: ebook/audiobook
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Huge thank you to @prhaudio for the gifted audiobook and Berkley/Netgalley for the advanced ebook in exchange for my honest review of this utterly charming novel!

I absolutely adored every single page of this book! Mandanna has such a beautiful way of developing such complex and lovable characters with real depth. Sera Swan is oh so deserving of love and watching her go on the journey of accepting herself throughout this story was just so special.

And then we have Luke who is so patient and kind and GOOD. Do I love what him and Sera build together throughout the pages of this book? Absolutely. But that barely holds a candle to Luke’s interactions with Posy. Their dynamic and his unconditional love for her filled my heart with so much joy.

Sigh, then there’s the whole found family who I don’t want to even spoil for you. But I’ll just say that this is the book y’all should be reading and recommending instead of Cerulean Sea moving forward ok??? Ok.

Anywho. The plot is also good 😂 but I almost wouldn’t care what it was because I would read endless pages of these characters just existing and interacting with each other and themselves. Please pick this one up asap - especially if you’re like me and need a little bit of witchy vibes to brighten up your summer!

I loved everything about this book!

Sera Swan is possibly the most powerful witch of her generation. When she uses her powers to bring her aunt (and, inadvertently, her chicken), back from the dead, her powers end up zapped and she is ousted from the witch’s guild. Fifteen years later, Sera is running her family’s inn and practicing the smallest of magics. Never has she given up on the hope that she can reclaim her powers. When a potential spell presents itself to her and a former classmate appears on her doorstep, she’s closer than ever.

While I loved the romance between Sera and Luke, I think the found family aspect of this story was my favorite part. I Iove when authors make the setting such a large part of the story, and The Batty Hole felt like a character on its own. Sera was such a realistic main character and someone who was easy to relate to. She is not perfect and her struggles are splayed out on the page, which made it even easier to root for her.

I can’t wait to go back and read Sangu’s debut! All of the stars.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a review copy.

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is an incredible balance of wit, romance, character growth, and, of course, magic. Mandanna has done it again and I hope she continues to do so. This is the perfect book for fall!

🪄 A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna 🧙‍♀️🏨
Thank you to @Berkley and @NetGalley for the ARC! 💌

This book had so many things I usually adore—whimsical magic, a cozy inn, a strong-willed witch on a journey of rediscovery, and yes… even a zombie rooster. On paper, it sounded like the perfect mix of heart and humor.

While there were definitely charming elements (Roo Roo the rooster and Clemmie the clever fox totally stole the show for me 🐓🦊), I personally had a hard time connecting with the story. I couldn’t quite find the emotional anchor I was looking for, and at times I felt like I was waiting for something to really happen.

That said, I don’t think this is a bad book at all—it just wasn’t quite the right fit for me. Readers who enjoy slower-paced cozy fantasy with gentle romance, magical mischief, and a focus on found family will likely find this a sweet and comforting read.

I love a good cozy fantasy romance and this was exactly my cup of tea. It’s cozy, witchy, dramatic, loving, and so much more! Sangu Mandanna is an auto buy author for me, she just builds the cutest worlds and stories! I eat them up every time.

We follow the cutest found family that resides at Sera’s inn, the Batty Hole. All of the residents have such fun and unique personalities and they each play such an important role in the story. My favorite was of course Roo Roo, the zombie chicken skeleton that Sera accidentally reanimated while trying to resurrect her aunt. Sera is our innkeeper extraordinaire that is desperately trying to get her magic back. She’s feisty, independent, stubborn, and so relatable!

This book was such a good lesson in appreciating yourself and where you are in your own journey. And how the people you surround yourself with can be your greatest assets in your time of need. I think we can all use the reminder when we’re going through a rough time.

This book was fantastic and I hope everyone gets a chance to read it!

Thank you so much to Berkley for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book!

what a cozy fantasy romance! i have been in such a fall mood lately (when aren’t i) and this was just the book i was needing. it honestly was such a fast read. i love the fmc sera so much, grump and all. i honestly felt connected to sera in the sense of her depression and her inner struggles because i myself, have depression. the author created such a wonderful element among the setting with the inn bringing in people who needed it and created this found family i fell in love with. i honestly liked that the romance wasn’t the main focus and that we got more into other characters as well.

we get a lot of representation within the characters including a disability rep, queer couple, southeast asian fmc, and a side character with autism. i love that the author incorporated different representations as it is so important to read diversely.

sera used to be one of the most powerful witches until she lost her magic resurrecting her great-aunt (who owns the inn) back from the dead resulting in being exiled from her guild and befriending a “semi-villainous” talking fox. she helps run the inn while longing for her magic back. one day, a grumpy magical historian named luke arrives with his sister to stay. he has no interest getting involved but he then decided to help sera with her spell to bring her magic back. these two grumps end up getting closer and confine in one another.

tropes: grumpy x grumpy, talking animal sidekick, found family, magical inn

Thank you to NetGalley and Sangu Mandanna for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

This was so cozy and fun, I had such a good time! Every side character was cuter than the last, and it was everything I had hoped it would be after reading Mandanna’s previous work. Overall, I’m absolutely looking forward to what comes from Mandanna next, and I’ll be thinking about this one for a while!

Sera is a member of an ancient British witch family who ends up compromising her special powers when she resurrects her aunt, Jasmine, from the dead -- something she apparently wasn't supposed to do. Now she struggles to run their old enchanted family inn with her aunt, and wants to get her powers back. But dark forces from the local witches guild are making that difficult. Enter Luke, a historian, who reluctantly gets on board to help. Very romantic and lots of fun. I look forward to recommending this title.

This book is pure Wholesome Whimsical Escapism and exactly what I needed right now. I loved the author’s previous book, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches (which I would have missed if it were not for a recommendation at an independent bookstore!), and had high hopes for this magical follow-up.

Sangu Mandanna is very good at world building - setting the scene and really integrating the characters into those scenes. In this case, I loved the house with its quirks and magical elements, and appreciated being able to picture it in my mind as I followed along with the escapades of its unique and fully formed inhabitants. In particular, Roo-Roo, the resurrected, skeleton chicken, made me chuckle. The primary themes of being yourself/loving yourself, the opportunity for second chances, and “choosing your family” clearly come through. And good for the author for including diversity in many forms without making it a key part of the story.

If you like the idea of a cozy fantasy filled with eccentric characters, a bit of mischief and a lot of love (& some romance!), this is the book for you.

Please note: I received a digital copy from NetGalley & Berkley Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own. Publishing on July 15, 2025.

Such a cute and fun story!
It's about a very powerful witch trying to get her powers back while running a magical inn. Along the way she meets lots of quirky and magical characters. The story is light and whimsical, and the romance at the end was really sweet. I love the second chance theme of the ! A perfect cozy read!

Thank you Net Galley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC!

This book felt like a warm cup of tea on a chilly winter night. It was comforting, magical, and full of heart. The whimsical tone swept me away, and I found myself loving every character (minus the one) and rooting for them to find happiness in their own messy, beautiful ways. The romance was perfectly balanced. It was sweet enough to make me giggle and squeal, but never overshadowing the main storyline. Sera was a wonderfully strong and relatable protagonist. I adored her personality, her resilience, and the deep love she held for her family. This story was pure magic from start to finish.

5 out of 5 stars AGAIN for Sangu! I am head over heels for this cast of characters in Sangu Mandanna's follow-up cozy, witchy novel, A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping. In this book, we follow 30-year-old witch, Sera Swan, who casts an unsanctioned spell and soon becomes banished from the Guild of Witches. The antics that follow surround her found family at the Magical Inn gently, but also not gently, attempting to get her back into the Guild's good graces. There was everything I wanted and. more in this one: found family, magical animals dripping with sarcasm, gentle humor and overall a heartwarming cozy, witchy read.

Thank you Berkley for this e-ARC of A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping via the The Berkley Influencer Hub for Underrepresented Voices!

I adored The Very Secret Society for Irregular Witches, so when I saw this one pop up I immediately grabbed it. And I loved it! Possibly even more than the first.

Sangu Mandanna excels at writing endearing characters. I loved all of the absurd, eclectic bunch who make Batty Hole Inn their home. She also does an excellent job writing believable children.

The heart of this novel is found family and home. It's one of my absolute favorite tropes and it was executed beautifully here. Also we have another of my favorite tropes - the grumpy, prickly, secretly-a-softie character.

The romance was really well done, and I was rooting for it the whole time, but it didn't overwhelm the found family aspect of the story which was really refreshing.

It was also even funnier than the first one. The sheer number of hilarious turns of phrase and one-liners was delightful.

I also found the whole 'trying to regain lost magic' plot to be very satisfying.

Sangu Mandanna is definitely going on my must-read list.

*Thanks to Berkley for providing an early copy for review.

Sera Swan used to be one of the most powerful witches around—until a risky resurrection spell drained her magic and got her kicked out of the guild. Now she runs a magical inn for misfits, but when a charming researcher (with a lot of baggage and a very magical little sister) shows up, sparks fly—and together they just might crack the spell to get her powers back and take on the guild that wronged her. A perfect follow up to Mandanna's *The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches*, this charming tale will resonate with any reader who has ever felt lost or forgotten, and inspire hope in the best of humanity.

Thanks to @berkleypub and @berkleyromance for the gifted e-ARC and to @prhaudio for the ALC!

This is found family where not all the characters are immediately or ever likable. Interesting but realistic. Very diverse characters that you sort of love despite their flaws.

Loved Sera and Luke. Good tension and banter. Fade to black spice. Very atmospheric. Loved the magical house. Very descriptive with the seasons and scenery. Good for fall.

The magic system was a bit hard to understand, and the ending made me sad even though I understand why the author took it that direction.

She used to be one of the most powerful witches in Britian, but the stars had other ideas. I absolutely loved that as a concept.

One thing that I really love about this author and their writing is that she knows how to set a mood. It’s like watching a movie in written form. I loved that this book set me up to be able to experience the feeling of knowing you’re able to do something, but unfortunately having those feelings crushed in some way. After feeling inadequate over time I thought the way she beautifully let the characters come to terms with accepting that people can want to be with them whether that’s through friendship or love.

I thought the main theme throughout this book is you are not alone. It was refreshing that the main character’s in this story are in their 30s and that they acted like it. It was also nice that the group of side characters varied in ages and never felt like cardboard cut outs, there to further the main plot line.

I swear Sangu always writes the most wholesome stories!!! I am beyond obsessed with her writing and it always just makes my heart so happy. I loved all of the characters and enjoyed every minute getting to know them. The way this book lifted my spirits is incredible! This book is the definition of a warm hug and you will not be able to put it down. It truly engages the reader from page one and the pacing is just perfect. I really appreciate the autism representation in this book and love how it was depicted. This truly is one of my favorite reads of the year!

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC!

“For some reason, it felt like that was exactly where they were supposed to be. Like this was a thing that had, somehow, become important. Like his lonely and her lonely fit perfectly into the empty spaces at the other’s side, saying nothing, asking nothing, just keeping each other company.”


Thank you to netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Just like Sangu’s first novel, this one is brimming with magic, coziness and found family. The magical inn only calls to those who need it most; people looking for a retreat, others looking for a place to call home and a family. Among the oddest of characters (i mean this in the best way), we are introduced to Sera, a witch, who risks her magic by bringing her beloved aunt back to life.

She spends the next fifteen years hoping her magic will find its way back to her until the opportunity presents itself for her to get every ounce of magic back that she lost. Will she risk everything, including her new found family, to regain her power?

This book is perfect for lovers of cozy fantasies and found family and I devoured it. It feels like home, like curling up with a cup of hot tea and a good book on a stormy night. Magic weaves in and out of these pages brimming with spells, potions and a room that rains tea, but only for an hour on Sundays.

Every detail of this story brings it to life, and i could’ve spent years in this world getting to know the characters and the in and outs of the magical system. Besides found family, there is a soft romance that can be found in these chapters, really bringing this story together. Luke and Sera are so much alike, especially in the fact that they both spent too much of their lives feeling unwanted. The abandonment issues in this hit close to home and that is the sole reason I will always find solace in books about found family because nothing is more beautiful than finding those who stay, despite it all.

The only downside I found to this book was that the ending seemed a little too fleeting but perhaps I wanted to hang on for a little bit longer.

Overall I found this to be a comforting, beautiful story. One that I could find myself reading again and again.

“Maybe it was time to believe in other people again. Maybe it was time to take a chance on them.”

I absolutely loved The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, so naturally Innkeeping was one of my most anticipated books this year!

Well actually, last year. Innkeeping’s release date was pushed back over a year due to Mandanna’s health challenges. And I think that comes through in the book. Innkeeping seemed like a very personal story, with FMC Sera Swan bringing this book a sharper tone.

Some things I loved were:

🏠 The Inn as its own character
💖 The lovable found family
🧙🏽‍♀️ Learning more about the magical society

Some things that surprised me were:

❤️‍🩹 The serious tone of the romance plot
😈 The stakes being a tad high for a cozy fantasy

I finished this book months ago and I’ve been sitting on my review because… well… I was really bummed by the ending! I just saw it going in another direction and I felt like it didn’t have to go the way it did. But even with that being the case, I enjoyed the book quite a bit. Mandanna is an excellent writer and I will eat up anything she throws at us. I’ll be seeing her on tour in San Diego and can’t wait to meet her!

“Like the old Seras, who hadn’t abandoned her either. They’d stayed with her all this time to tell a story, every time she forgot it, about flying and defying and what an incredible, joyful act of resistance it was to simply exist. You’re still here, they said, those echoes of all the Seras that ever were. You went up in flames, but you’re still here. You’ll go up in flames again, but that’s okay, you know what to do now. You’ve done it already. The dying wasn’t what mattered. Unfurling your scorched feathers from the ashes and getting up again. Growing. Staying. That was the part that really mattered. So Sera slept. Woke. Unfurled. And got up again.”

Okay I 100% believe that this is going to be THE comfort read of 2025! This took me by surprise in the best way. The whimsy, the magic that found family of it all. Ugh this was sooo enjoyable!