I loved this one so much! I wasn't familiar with Mandanna before her foray into adult fiction with the The Very Secret Society, but suffice to say since then I am sold heart and soul on her writing! She has an absolute gift for crafting found families that are endearing and heartwarming without ever feeling twee or overdone. Her characterizations are spot-on fabulous, she creates fully three-dimensional individuals and plops them into unbelievable situations in fantastic worlds, and somehow manages to render them utterly relatable and aspirational at the same time.

I want to live in one of her worlds... Magic permeates her storytelling yet never overwhelms it. The pacing and plotting are perfect. There are life lessons and brilliantly insightful tidbits about what it means to live and love and lose - and they are presented in a deliciously entertaining and thought-provoking story that never feels like it is preaching, yet still manages to keep you thinking from the first to the last pages.

I loved this one from start to finish!

I absolutely loved Sangu Mandanna's A Very Secret Society of Witches when it came out a few years ago and was excited to get my hands on this new title. As I didnt read too closely, this book is not #2 in the series, but rather a completely separate adventure. Once I realized, I fell in love with this enchanted inn and all of its inhabitants. The found family aspect of her books is strong in this book as well. I cant wait to recommend when this comes out in July!!

📣 what am I doing with my life if I’m not reading more by this author?

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

📖 what’s your current read? I have two books slowly moving—All the Painted Stars & the Witch Roads—& I’ll probably start another one today.

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping was immediately on my TBR even before I knew the title. I loved, loved, loved Sangu Mandanna’s last book & this is another special romance I know I will reread one day.

Sera lost most of her magic after she brought a beloved family member back to life. Once considered a witch of great promise, she now lives relatively isolated at her inn, a wonderful, quirky place that she gives everything too.

Then a blast from the past arrives, in the form of grumpy wizard Luke, & soon Sera must confront again the magical entity that has taken so much.

This book is so wonderful, as expected. It’s darling & mostly soft, with some baddies to keep things interesting. Luke’s grumpiness is similarly darling, & I love how he grows to view their life together. His acceptance of everyone at the inn, with all of their eccentricities, was one of my favorite parts.

Sera’s not afraid to give all of herself to what & whom she loves, & that’s also one of my favorite parts.

As I’m writing this review, I want to do a reread already 😂. Sangu Mandanna crafts these worlds that feel cozy & special & warm, but they’re also threatened in a way that’s ultimately overcome through the lead’s bravery. Each one I’ve read is not only a warm hug but a reminder to fight for what I love.

5 ⭐️, out 07/15.

[ID: Jess holds the book over pink flowers.]

This was a wonderful follow up to Society.We still have a full cast of colorful characters, now including a delightful, magical Inn and a talking fox.

Innkeeping felt a little heavier than Society, which I think I quite liked. Though, I must say, I'm a little disappointed with the ending. I don't want to spoil anything, but it wasn't the happy ending I think I was expecting.

This cozy little fantasy will be adored by fans of witches, magic, quirky characters and the chicken from Moana.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for the adanced digital copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sangu Mandanna and Berkley for the E-ARC!

This is a quintessential cozy fantasy that I think fans of the genre should run to read. This is my first Sangu Mandanna book and it most certainly won't be the last. The way she writes is magical, there wasn't a moment when I was reading where I didn't feel connected to the story and its characters. This a story that presents peoples highs and lows, showing that sometimes it's hard to get out of your own head, out of your own despair, even when surrounded by so much love. Found-family, romance, a talking fox and an undead rooster, there is so much to this story and so many reasons to love it.

This novel is like wrapping yourself in a cozy blanket while sipping coffee, reading your favorite book, and watching autumn rain softly come down out your window. It's absolutely magical, and the coziest of the cozy fantasy trend. I loved The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, which is why I was looking forward to this one. It delivered in every way and exceeded my expectations. Seeing a fantasy book with positive ASD representation was wonderful. The characters were believable and charming, and I would watch 5 seasons of a comfort television adaptation with pleasure. I cannot rave enough about how heartwarming and funny this book was! A must-read for fans of the genre, or Mandanna's previous books.

This was a very cozy and whimsical paranormal romance that was cute though it didn’t always hold my attention. I liked the main characters and the struggles they were both going through in a world that wanted them to hide their magic. I liked the diverse cast of characters, found family aspect and the slow burn was cute even though it was very slow. I wish there had been more in the romance and relationship aspect but overall an okay read. Thanks to Berkley for this arc!

This was such a fantastic read. I asked Sera and Luke as well as the various side characters. Quirky, fun, heartfelt, and full of humor.

Sometimes you're in the mood for a cozy, whimsical novel that will help you escape from the daily grind. This book was exactly what I needed when I picked it up. It has unique and quirky characters and will keep you turning pages. I can't wait for Sangu Mandanna's next cozy fantasy!

I'm so pleased to let you all know that Sangu Mandanna is not a one hit wonder. "A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping" is well worth the wait. A found family story with a quirky inn and filled with loveable characters, you won't want to put this one down. The side characters are where it is at in this book, including a 20 year old renaissance faire knight, a resurrected chicken, and a witch cursed in the form of a fox. Full of so much heart! I loved every moment.

Just a witch who has lost her magic living with her skeleton rooster, resurrected aunt, cursed fox, 20-something year old cosplaying knight, two magical children & a grumpy historian.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗱:

♥️ The found family - what a unique cast of characters! Everyone was so fun with such eccletcic personalities, but they came together as the most amazing found family.

♥️Laugh out loud funny - with all the quirky characters there is no way you aren’t going to be laughing! This book was light, fun & had me choking on my coffee a few times.

♥️Magical Inn - has Encanto forever made me love sentient houses? Yes, yes it has. I absolutely LOVED the magical inn & how it was created & what it represented. Such a sweet touch.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:

🖤The ending - I can see what the author was trying to do, & it’s not that I hated it, but also I did kind of hate it? I go back & forth with it, but overall it left me with a slight disappointed feeling.

The whole “you don’t need magic” to be special thing was basically shoved down my throat the entire book, & while I understood it, it’s also a book about magic?? So I just didn’t like it.

Overall this is a super cozy fantasy with the most perfect found family and slow burn romance.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁:
✨cozy fantasy
✨witch who lost her magic
✨cold MC with a heart of gold
✨found family
✨slow burn

Thank you to Berkley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

“This is the life I wanted. This life of contentment and unexpected excitement, of little everyday joys, where I don’t just get to be myself but also get to be embraced as myself. It’s miraculous.”

Sangu Mandanna has such a way of writing trauma that it feels like a gentle peeling back of layers in order to heal the hurts caused by the world. There is a romantic story, but what really takes center stage is this wonderfully weird inn, its quirky-in-a-lovable-way inhabitants, and the journey its proprietor must go on to truly embrace herself.

There is whimsy, there are delightfully touching moments, there are shenanigans aplenty… but there are also quiet moments of reflection that focus on abandonment, lack of acceptance, and feelings of displacement or not fitting into the mold others have cast. Mandanna explores prejudice and intolerance through an intersectional lens that looks at race/ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, class, and a variety of other parts of one’s identity. But she does it in such a gentle way that the journey is beautiful in a melancholic sort of way.

You might enjoy this book if you like:

✨ Prickly main characters with a heart of gold.
✨ A cast of quirky and delightful side characters.
✨ Found family, found family, found family.
✨ Whimsical writing that also has depth.
✨ Cozy fantasy with gentle humor and reflection.

Thanks so much to Berkley and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Plot: This is a cozy wholesome book about a witch who gets a second chance to have magical powers and life on track. Sera used to be a powerful witch, but was exiled from her guild. She has to help her aunt run an enchanted inn while she figures out what her future looks like. Luke the handsome magical historian arrives at the Inn, with his sister Posy. The inn and residents staying slowly help this stern man dethaw; and he warms to their charm and hospitality.

Positives The cover is amazing, it’s cute, whimsical and eye-catching. The characters are wonderfully done, we really get to know them and become attached. All the scenery really makes you feel like you’re there and adds to the magic of the book. This book truly warms your heart and is a great addition to a cozy day at home. Wonderful world-building and settings.
So many tropes that people love: Found family, second-chance, redemption arc, enemies to lovers. This will be a big hit for fantasy lovers!

Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Another fantastic witchy & cozy fantasy by Sangu Mandanna.
-
Perhaps set in the same universe as Mandanna’s previous novel, this one is about a witch stripped of most of her powers and resorting to running a magical inn. As sweet & cozy as it is fun & exciting, this novel keeps you hooked with both the magical world and the plot line of Sera trying to get her powers back.

Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A wonderful ensemble one would want and expect from a novel like this. Though perhaps one too many characters, each one pops off the page in silly, interesting, and dynamic ways. Nicholas and Clemmie are hilarious, and my heart goes out to Posy and Theo. The villains are the right level of spice, and the leads are engaging enough to propel the story forward.

Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I commend the picturesque British seaside setting, the quirky descriptions of places and people, and the detailed magical universe that manages to be inspiring yet comprehensible. The themes are simple yet valuable, and the dialogue has moments if absolute brilliance.

Recommended to fans of A Very Secret Society of Witches.

what an absolute DELIGHT

This book is cozy & filled with so much heart. a magical inn. a quirky sound family. a zombie chicken. a dash of magic.

heartwarming & sweet & perfect

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the advance galley! This was a joy to read - seeing how Sera evolves over the course of the book was so inspirational. It was a fun cast of characters that supported and loved each other wholey. Definitely one of my more emotional reads, I loved it so much. I look forward to the next witchy book from Mandanna.

A spellbinding tale of loss, love, and found family, this story follows Sera, a once-mighty witch who sacrifices her magic to save her great-aunt. Now an innkeeper at a mystical refuge, Sera’s chance to reclaim her power draws a charming historian, Luke, and his sweet sister into her orbit. Together, they unravel a spell that might restore her strength. What truly stole my heart was the inn’s magical family—a delightfully diverse and authentic crew that makes this book shine. Funny, tender, and unforgettable. Roo-Roo, you absolute star!

This book was so cozy and magical! It has family, romance, humor and the absolutely most perfect atmosphere. A great Fall read. Or anytime read really! I love this author and will forever be invested!!!

Thank you, NetGalley and Berkley, for the ARC of this book. The follow up to The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches will definitely not let Sangu Mandanna's fans down. Slipping into this cozy, magical world is like, well, like spending a few days at a beautiful B and B in the English countryside with wonderful new friends.

Sera Swan runs into trouble as a young witch and ends up losing almost all her magic. The man meant to be her mentor banishes her from the magical society, including access to the book containing the spell that would help her get her magic back. Although his jealous, power hungry behavior threatens so many others in the magic community, it isn't until Sera's chosen family decides to take a few risks that she starts to realize how much she had even without her magic at full power.

The charming and quirky characters, the inclusiveness and acceptance, the wonderful world Sera has created at her inn is all backdrop to a lovely romance (or two) and a journey of self discovery that many will relate to - magical or not. This is a world I look forward to visiting again!

"A whimsical and heartwarming novel about a witch who has a second chance to get her magical powers - and her life - back on track, from the national bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.

Sera Swan used to be one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Then she resurrected her great-aunt Jasmine from the (very recently) dead, lost most of her magic, befriended a semi-villainous talking fox, and was exiled from her Guild. Now she (slightly reluctantly and just a bit grumpily) helps Jasmine run an enchanted inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests' shenanigans, tries to keep said talking fox in check, and longs for the future that seems lost to her. But then she finds out about an old spell that could hold the key to restoring her power...

Enter Luke Larsen, handsome and icy magical historian, who arrives on a dark winter evening and just might know how to unlock the spell's secrets. Luke has absolutely no interest in getting involved in the madcap goings-on of the inn and is definitely not about to let a certain bewitching innkeeper past his walls, so no one is more surprised than he is when he agrees to help Sera with her spell. Worse, he might actually be thawing.

Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and staying one step ahead of the watchful Guild is a lot for anyone, but Sera Swan is about to discover that she doesn't have to do it alone...and that the weird, wonderful family she's made might be the best magic of all."

Here for ANY book with a talking fox.