Sera Swan's had it a bit rough. Her parents can't be bothered to raise her. She's happy though to have her great-aunt to be her staunch support system. She's incredibly talented magically. She's being trained by the strongest magician in the Guild because of her abilities. Then tragedy strikes and life changes in drastic ways. Entertaining ways for the reader, stressful for Sera.

After performing forbidden magic for the best of reasons, Sera loses most of her magic. She was the strongest witch alive, though still in training, until that day she made the wrong decision. Now her beloved great-aunt is still with her and helping her run the inn her parents saddled her with. She has enough magic to do small things to keep the inn from falling down around their ears. She's also cast a spell, not entirely intentionally, that makes the inn very difficult to find to all except those in true need. She ends up with an eccentric group including a witch, Clemmie, whose spell against Sera's ex-mentor backfired and trapped Clemmie in a fox's body. What Sera doesn't see completely is what a family her inn has now.

One day, a man shows up with his young sister. Luke is a history scholar from the castle in Northumberland where Sera used to attend schooling. He's stodgy but stalwart. He's traveling with his sister. His sister is different. She doesn't fit in a world where she needs to hide her magic to protect her and her kind. Luke's parents, and most everyone, feel she needs to be disciplined till she gets the concept but Luke knows that's just not how her brain works. Of course, at the inn she's able to do whatever feels natural and the other inhabitants are willing to take over her schooling. Luke's very brief stay (he keeps insisting he's moving on but to where?) keeps dragging out. Luke and Sera start to have feelings that neither one wants to acknowledge, especially not Luke.

When Sera is forced to face her former mentor, a great fight ensues. They are both such strong witches. How can she beat him? She remembers a spell that will work. Unfortunately, it comes at another great price for Sera. She does it anyway because her little made up family needs it as does the witch community. Once he's driven out, they can get on at Northumberland with a new council where huge changes can occur, and at the inn where life can go on more as it has been. Luke and Sera can start a life together with family by blood and those they chose.

An imaginative story with great characters, this book was definitely a worthwhile read. I enjoyed the stresses, the oddball characters, the slow burning love story, just all of it.

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is an enchanting blend of cozy magic, humor, romance, and found family that feels like curling up with a warm mug of tea in your comfiest chair. It’s whimsical, heartwarming, and utterly charming from beginning to end.

Sera is the perfect reluctant heroine, sarcastic, loyal, and quietly powerful in ways that don’t require magic. Her journey isn’t just about reclaiming her magic; it’s about reclaiming her identity, forgiving herself, and rediscovering the strength in vulnerability. Watching her grow and find her footing again was one of the most satisfying aspects of the book.

And then there’s Luke, grumpy, closed-off, and utterly swoony. Their slow-burn romance is delightful! Full of grumpy banter, respect, and shared vulnerability. But what really steals the show is the found family at the inn: from a fox-turned-witch to a goat-herding mushroom enthusiast, every character adds a layer of depth and hilarity to the story especially Roo-Roo, the zombie rooster Sera accidentally resurrected!

The writing sparkles with warmth and wit, the setting is vividly magical without being overwhelming, and while the plot is somewhat predictable, it never once stops being enjoyable. The tension with the Guild especially with power-hungry Albert Gray and Sera’s former friend-turned-enemy Francesca adds stakes without overwhelming the book’s cozy tone.

And let’s be real, predictable doesn’t mean boring. You’ll likely see the betrayal and redemption arc coming, but you’ll still be rooting for it when it arrives. Because this story isn’t about shocking you, it’s about comforting you, making you laugh, and reminding you that home, magic, and love can all be found in the most unexpected of places.

This was literally my most anticipated read of the year and I had a wonderful time. The stakes are a little higher in MAGICAL INNKEEPING than in IRREGULAR WITCHES, but Mandanna's warmth and coziness shine through.

Absolutely loved this second novel from Sangu Mandanna. I loved the cozy setting of the magical inn, the characters personalities shone through on every page. A delightful weekend read!

Another lovely read from Sangu Mandanna. The start was a little slow for me, but once we started getting into the aspects of the little family that they had made in the Inn and how they were going to try and break the curse I was invested. The love stories that unfolded were gentle and lovely, the support that the characters showed to each other was heartwarming, and the skeleton rooster was endearing. I felt like the villain was believable, and while I was a little annoyed by the ending and how things were sorted out (just because I wanted it different), I did understand the authors choice to end it that way.

I have been looking forward to this book since it was announced like two+ years ago, just like many others. The release date got pushed a few times but that’s okay. Authors are people first! And I’m glad to wait for a great book 🩷

This is a cozy fantasy & romance. Personally I think it’s a little more fantasy forward than the romance but both are definitely there. It’s about Sera, a witch who has lost most of her magic after a resurrection spell gone wrong. She now runs an enchanted inn (with her undead aunt) and has been exiled from the guild. The inhabitants of the inn are eccentric and are a delightful cast of characters that give us the found family trope that I love so much. The love interest, Luke and his younger sister arrive at the inn one night and despite only planning to stay for one night, are slowly integrated into the group.

I liked the romance and I was rooting for them, but full honesty, I cared a liiiiitle bit more about all of the characters and the plot line in general than I did about the romance. But just a little.

It was delightful and cozy and witchy. I would definitely recommend reading this and the authors other book like this, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. The vibes are great.

I love the magical worlds this author creates! Reading her books is like having a cup of hot cocoa and curling up with a warm blanket. She writes strong female characters and such fun quirky side characters! The rooster was my favorite in this book. I highly recommend this and her first book to all reader of fantasy.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This was a very cute and whimsical story with quite the cast of characters. Maybe one or two too many characters in the background, but still very enjoyable.

It was about 90% lighthearted but did weave in heavier issues of bigotry, classism, parental neglect, and mental health. The author dealt with these topics in a very insightful manor and I loved the autism rep.

I love the witchy worlds created by this author. Although unlike the Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches this world was all about community, even involving a witch academy of sorts.

A delightful read through and through.

This one took a little getting in to because of all the characters and time jumps. But overall, I really enjoyed it. It was a fun story with a cast of characters that can only be described as eclectic. The author does a wonderful job of weaving in elements of romance, comedy, and mystery into the fantastical world she built. And at the end of it all, I found myself wanting to be a part of their tiny little dysfunctional (albeit fun) group. This truly is a story of love, acceptance, and found family.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I love me a cozy book. I had such high expectations for this one, and maybe it’s because the pub date kept getting pushed back that the hype got even higher, but I really just couldn’t not connect with the characters like I did in her other book

4.5! Sangu Mandanna writes the perfect cozy mystery to escape to.

A Witch's Guide to Magical Inkeeping is about a found family that works together to get a young witch's magic back to her.

Sera Swan was a teen when her magic was drained from her. Though for a good reason, Sera, and her friend Clementine, wanted her magic back. Sera was more powerful than most of the witches. Because of this, the head of the witch school was personally training her, leading her to be more involved in school than she would have been. But one day, her Aunt Jasmine had an accident, and Sera tried saving her. In doing so, Sera did something no witch was allowed to do.

You find that there still may be some magic throughout this story. A whole gang of people come around and help Sera when she needs it most.

I recommend this one and the Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches to anyone who may be interested in fantasy, or want a fun story about witches!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

Sangu Mandanna is quickly becoming an autobuy author for me due to her cozy writing filled with found family.

First, let me say this book is PERFECT for the beginning of the BER months. It is the definition of a warm hug and feels like the coziness of watching Gilmore Girls under a warm blanket.

I love how each character in the book has their own identity and personality traits that stand out:

🦢Sera, the main character and magical innkeeper, is fiesty, quirky, and a giver - she loves to do things for the people she adores.

🦊Clemmie, the fox and witch, is grumpy, reckless, and hilarious.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Luke is a bookworm who is constantly running away because he doesn’t want anyone to leave him first.

🗡️Nicholas is a human who works at a ren faire and thinks he’s really a knight.

👩‍🌾🧁Matilda and Jasmine are the grand mother characters who are both calm and chaotic.

And the list goes on and on. Not to mention the inn was such a crucial character. From tea raining in a bedroom to flowers growing out of teacups, I loved the descriptions of it all and how it was written as a safe haven for those who need help.

I also love how this book explores the concept of how we change. What you think is your goal in life and what you want, could change and should! We’re human after all. As long as you’re prioritizing what’s important to you in life, that’s all that matters.

I loved this cozy book - five beautiful ⭐️

i waited for this book for so long, and it was a fluffy sweet magical good time! i still have a special place in my heart for the secret society of irregular witches, and there were moments i felt this had too much going on or had gone on too long, but it was quite nice and i enjoyed it.

I just finished A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna and here are my thoughts.

Sera used to be one of the most powerful witches in England. That is until she cast a forbidden spell and her magic all but disappeared. The Guild… refuses to give her powers back and exiles her. She finds herself running a magical inn. When Luke and his little sister arrive with a need at the inn, the keys to unlocking her powers lie within his knowledge but trying to reverse the spell is almost easier than thawing Luke out but something more is blooming and they both can’t seem to fight it.

THIS BOOK WAS TOO CUTEEEEEEE.

I have a real love for the way Sangu Mandanna writes.. I felt like I was in the inn. I felt like I was wrapped up in the coziness of the friendship and love that came from the mismatch of people under the same roof.

Sera is amazing. She is one of those people who comes across as hostile and moody but really.. She feels it all. She loves deeply. She reminds me of my mum. She is all hard edges but really, she's a gooey teddy bear!

I loved the magic in this book. It was a really great story. I enjoyed how all the characters were so different but they all had such great chemistry together. I really loved how Luke's sister is on the spectrum. As a mother with 2 sad kids… I love how well the author incorporated it into the story.

I cannot sing the praises of this book more. Beautifully written, wonderfully paced and so so beautiful.

5 stars.

I don’t give those out often but this book…. MY JAM!!

Thank you @berkleypub and @netgalley for my gifted copy

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group/Berkley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This might be one of the cutest books I’ve ever read. It’s a warm hug of found family, magic, romance, self-acceptance, and oh yeah, a snarky talking fox. Completely charming, it’s the perfect balm for your brain when you want something easy, cozy, and full of heart.

It didn’t quite hit five stars for me. I found parts of it a bit meandering, and the entire third act felt too rushed. A tighter edit would have helped, and the ending left me a little unsatisfied. That said, I’m still glad I read it.

Thanks so much Berkley for the free book! This was honestly one of my favorite reads of the year. It was so cozy and comforting, like a warm hug or a hot cup of tea. It was fun and whimsical, but also dealt with deeper topics which were handled beautifully. I loved the autism rep, especially as an autistic person. I adored the love story between Jasmine and Melinda. Overall I cannot recommend this enough, I hope everybody gives it a read!

*Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the e-ARC! All opinions are my own.*

This book was SO darling, as was to be expected! The worlds Sangu creates are so full of life and so cozy, I could spend a lifetime in them. Each character feel fully-formed, no matter how small a part they play in the plot. It's such a testament to how thorough her writing style really is! This book is not without its faults (I felt there was some plotholes that could have been more handily explained, for example), but it is truly such a cozy, wholesome experience with a great DIVERSE cast of characters that I'd love to revisit time and time again. Sangu Mandanna is an author I will pick up without question every single time!

Mika Moon fans and readers who love The House in the Cerulean Sea or Legends & Lattes will feel right at home here. The magic is soft and homey, woven into daily life rather than grand epic adventures. The setting—the Rambling Inn—is truly enchanting and feels like its own character, with a personality and past that’s slowly revealed through the story.

However, the pacing dragged a bit in places. While I appreciated the themes of loss, forgiveness, and second chances, I sometimes wished for a little more tension or surprise to keep the momentum going. The romance was sweet but somewhat understated, and a few side characters could have been fleshed out more.

Still, the emotional payoff was satisfying, and the overall message of choosing joy after heartache really resonated. This is a perfect read for when you want something comforting, low-stakes, and filled with quiet magic.

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping was such a cozy magical read! I absolutely adored A Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches so I had high hopes (exceeded expectations!) When Sera was 15 years old, she performed a forbidden spell that would bring back her recently deceased aunt. The spell works, but Sera has lost her magic in the process and has also been exiled from the Witch’s Guild. The story picks up 15 years later and follows Sera while her and her aunt run the magic infused Batty Hole Inn. The characters are like able and the dialogue is a hoot! There’s also a sweet romance plot as well!

This book is a perfect cozy fantasy! I love a good light fantasy that takes place in our world but just so happens to have magic and other fantasy characteristics. Sera Swan resurrected her great aunt Jasmine and has lost her magic powers because of it. The found family and touch of romance makes it a wonderful cozy read!