I like the characters and the plot and the friendships and the relationships between the characters I like book cover and the designs for the chapters. And I like the book is good for everyone to read. Like the colors and the nature of the book. It great book for everyone and the likes i think the design is really nice and cool. It has a creative flow. Also has great art it really is fun and fun

This was a charming and cozy fantasy with a fun mix of magic, mystery, and just a hint of romance. I really enjoyed the setting—it had that slightly whimsical, bookish vibe that makes you want to curl up with a blanket and read straight through. The magic system was light but creative, and the main character had a lot of heart.

That said, the pacing was a little uneven. Some parts felt like they dragged, while others wrapped up too quickly. A few side characters could have used more development, especially given how central the theme of community and connection is to the story.

Still, it was a lovely escape with just the right touch of enchantment. Great for fans of low-stakes fantasy and magical realism with emotional warmth. 3.5/5 Stars!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Who doesn’t love a book set in a magical curiosity shop? Even if said shop is a complete sham! This book is going to be on EVERYONES fall must reads! I had such a great time with these characters and this world. Probably the best cozy fantasy I’ve ever read and cozy fantasy usually isn’t my thing! Loved it!

I really enjoyed this book. The MC was very relatable and her inner dialogue funny; although she did make decisions sometimes where you just want to say WHY.!! This book is YA mad the characters are young so I believe it gives reason to the poor decision making. The magic inthralled me and I was instantly wanting to know what would happen with the characters. I do wish that there was more to the love interest. It was very cute and sweet but again, a little juvenile. I also wish that more when into describing the setting of the story because in some parts it’s hard to imagine and one of my favorite parts of a magical fantasy is to be transported to a new world. All in all it was a great, easy fantasy read that didn’t take too much world building. I would definitely recommend to fans of young adult fantasy. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this advanced copy. Despite my small criticisms, I really enjoyed the book and finished it in just days.

This one was so much fun. And sweet
The characters are perfect because they are essential to make each other grow and improve. A con, thief girl who doesn't trust anyone ends up on a quest to save a cursed girl who can't touch anyone without hurting them. Around 65% starts a heist, so this first volume is like 1 + half another. Sets up the worldbuilding, and the characters then set them on a quest. They actually do more for others than for themselves. I love her power to embude magic into things. Magical.

The FMC is a crusty, angry, sad and lonely 17-year old girl who is up to her eyes in debt that her father left her when he unexpectedly passed away. She’s convinced herself she doesn’t need anyone.
She doesn’t know how to have friends, but regardless, she has one. Finlay, who for some odd reason seems to like her and continues to stick around.
Then the two of them meet Bri, an odd girl who is not from around their parts, and who has a curse (anything she touches comes alive with magic).

Willow is desperate to come up with rent money and save her father’s, now hers, shop. A curious “magic” shop full of antiques and useless, rather UN-magical items.

When she convinces Bri to come and live with her (and her kitten Argyle) temporarily, she has a selfish plan to use Bri’s talents to help her save her shop.

These three unlikely friends soon find themselves in the midst of danger and intrigue. Will Willow do the right thing or will she continue to push away the two people who really care about her?


“I never said you weren’t adorable,” Finlay said softly. “But you have to admit, you don’t always think before you act.”

“Hope was a beacon, but it was also a trap. You could let it guide you, only to find yourself standing on the edge of a cliff.”


Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

This is a cozy YA read interlaced with magic and friendship.
These characters and the cozy warmth of the setting will draw you in.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

Mara Rutherford’s A Curious Kind of Magic is a cozy YA fantasy that totally charmed me. The story centers on Willow Stokes, who’s doing her best to run her father’s magic shop, even though the shop’s quirky trinkets aren’t actually magical. Life changes when she crosses paths with Brianna Hargrave, an Outlander in search of a grimoire that might lift the curse she’s been living with.

At first, Willow and Brianna clash, but soon they strike a deal that sends them on an adventure neither of them expected. Brianna has the power to transform Willow’s fake magical items into the real deal, and that sets the stage for some seriously fun developments. As their journey unfolds, both girls begin to share their personal secrets as well as uncover some long held ones that have been hidden from them all along.

I loved the balance of heart and humor in this story. The plot was fun and surprisingly layered, the characters were easy to root for, and the whole vibe was hopeful and light hearted. Add in an engaging writing style and just the right sprinkle of magic, and you’ve got a fantasy that feels like a warm hug in book form.

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

This was such a cozy fantasy novel, filled with magic! This book is in the young adult genre. It comes with a fun storyline, lovable characters and mystery! It made me feel lighthearted, adventurous, hopeful and relaxed. It’s one of those books that you can just sit by the fire, enjoy a nice cup or tea, and take your time reading. Oh, let’s not forget a warm fuzzy blanket to snuggle up with. This fantasy book centers around a teenage girl named Willow Stokes, who runs her dad’s fake magic shop. All items in this shop aren’t magical at all. She has her reasoning behind this, that we learn later on in the story.

Willow is still running her non magical shop, until a special someone that has special abilities walks in! A girl named Brianna walks into the shop and turns the items in the shop into real magic. Brianna is cursed with a gift that turns original objects into magical objects! With Brianna’s touch, the shop changes all of the non magical items to real, genuine magical items! They end up going on a quest with a good looking printer’s assistant! On this quest, they discover hidden magic and deception. A deep connection forms during this quest, as they explain their unique abilities! This book was such a fun, magical ride that I did not want to get off of! I give this book a solid 4 out of 5 stars rating!

I think fans of YA magical fantasy books will enjoy reading this one! Cussing is the only content warning.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Mara Rutherford and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for this electronic arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is expected to be published on October 21, 2025!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for providing me with a copy for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

A Curious Kind of Magic is a mid-stakes YA fantasy about found family, knowing yourself, and the collective trauma of having parents who probably should have considered therapy rather than having children.

I wouldn’t call this book “cozy” exactly. There is too much turmoil and the stakes are too high for that, but it’s definitely cozy-adjacent with the setting and themes of found family and kindly strangers. There is sweet romance in this book, but don’t go into it expecting “spice” of any kind. Again, these characters are teenagers and it wouldn’t be appropriate to the age or the setting.


The main characters are all teenagers, and behave as such from time to time. That is to say, when they make selfish or short-sighted decisions, it is very clear that it is due to their age and lack of experience. More importantly, the characters are always learning from their mistakes and trying their best to do better, which is more than we sometimes see from fully adult characters, even in very popular fantasy novels. It was very easy to like nearly every character and to root for their journey.

If you’re looking for a book to curl up with as the leaves are falling and you want to be warm and entertained (it had great pacing), this is going to be the perfect autumn read for you. Slightly higher stakes than usual for “cozy” books, it still provided a relaxing and rewarding read. Definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books for providing this book, with my honest review below.

This book gives you the same feeling as when you come in from the cold and wrap a warm blanket around your shoulders, which I found surprising and refreshing for a fantasy read that still had plenty of action. A Curious Kind of Magic is geared towards teens and younger adults but its coziness transcends to all age groups. Focused on Willow, who has lost her father but inherited his not so magic shop, and her resolve to see it succeed is believable and tugged at my heart. Her growing friendship with Brianna, who may just be the key to the shop’s success (but who needs to break the curse that brought her to the shop) was also heartwarming and the added character of Finlay was the perfect foil.

Heartwarming and hard to put down, this book is a great for stepping away to a charming little world that acts as a balm.

This was an enjoyable sweet book. Although this main character was not always my favorite, I grew to like her and enjoyed her growth.

Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy. My opinions are my own.

Willow runs her late fathers store that sells magical artifacts. The store though mostly sells fakes and is in financial trouble. One day when Brianna walks into the store she has a magical touch that turn the artifacts into the real thing. Brianna is searching for a certain artifact that will cure the curse that has been placed on her. Willow offers a proposition that they could help one another. Brianna helps Willow sell the artifacts in her store and in return she will help Bri find a cure. Problem is nothing goes as planned and there is more danger than they could have imagined.

I enjoyed seeing Willow and Bri work together and grow closer, it was nice to see a strong friendship form between them. They both come to rely on one another and want to help with each other's problems. Finlay was also a great friend to the group he would do anything for Willow and he was always looking out for her. The trio works to find more artifacts to help save Willows store all while trying to find the cure to help Bri.

This was fast paced with some twists along the way. Overall, an enjoyable read.

This was a sweet cozy read. I will admit I’ve never read or seen Howl’s Moving castle nor Little Thieves that this was compared too. I loved the world building. Also Willow and Brianna were such well written characters. Fun read.

Quick cozy read but there was a lot of inner monologuing going on of panic moments which felt a little repetitive. All in all though, a fun read.

This was such a sweet, cozy fantasy. I loved the witchy vibes, the heartfelt friendships, and the slow-burn character growth. Willow is a relatable protagonist, and her bond with Bri was a highlight. While the pacing dragged a bit in the beginning, the warmth and magic throughout more than made up for it. Perfect fall read with a lot of heart.

It was a magical book. Kept me up late most nights so I could get to the end of this story. I will be checking out more of Mara's works :)

A Curious Kind of Magic is a lighthearted, high YA fantasy with cute characters and relationships, cool worldbuilding, and a bewitching premise. I really enjoyed Willow (the main character) and found myself relating to her a lot. Bri and Finlay are also amazing, and the relationship between Finlay and Willow was SO CUTE! I ended the book just wanting more of it. Like, a permanent amount. 🫶🏽

Where the book fell short for me was plot points. The beginning seemed a bit slowed down, and I kept reading for the cool premise, but the entire first half was slow. The second half was great, but the resolution tied everything up in an “early 2000s movie” kind of way, and it was less satisfying to see the sharp character growth Willow went through at the end instead of having a more consistent growth throughout.

All in all, the cute worldbuilding, witchy aspects, FEMALE FRIENDSHIPS!!! and the ADORABLE romance makes it worth it for a light fantasy read. 🩵

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Curious Kind of Magic by Mara Rutherford

Willow's da is gone and she is struggling to keep his magical curiosity shoppe open after his death. The relics she sells are not magical and
the people of the town don't respect her, with few exceptions.

Then she discovers that magic is real, and rare.

The interesting design of the cover featuring fungi, a wolpertinger, and other items mentioned in the book along with the title drew me in.

This book has an underlying depth of warmth.
I feel fortunate to have read it. For me it is an instant classic.

I would like to read more from this author!

October 21, 2025
Wednesday Books

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This review is currently posted on Goodreads.
Reviews will post to BrightBookReviews Instagram and Facebook pages on October 21, 2025.
(I generally leave book reviews up indefinitely).
A review will also be submitted to Amazon.

A Curious Kind of Magic follows our protagonist Willow, a 17 year old girl who runs her deceased father’s shop that sells magic items (spoiler: the items aren’t magic). One day, a girl, Brianna, shows up looking for something to break her curse — she’s able to give items magic for a short period of time with just one touch. Willow sees Bri as an opportunity to save her shop but all Bri wants is to break her curse. Willow wants to save the shop and help Bri, but can she do both?

Overall this was a cozy fun read! Perfect for the fall months, it has the witchy, warm vibe that’s great for cuddling in a blanket with a hot chocolate. I loved following Willow’s journey — not only in her life but her opening up and able to trust our wonderful side characters. If you want a sweet, easy palate cleanser, this is a great novel for you!

A Curious kind of magic was a cute, cozy fantasy. While I felt some ports the pacing was slightly off, it was overall fast paced and very easy to get into this world. I was also hoping for some world building, but for a standalone it was good! I think my absolute favorite part was the development of Willow and Bri’s friendship. All in all, this was a sweet and fun novel to read!