A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

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✦ BLURB ✦

Sera Swan was once 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 magical Guild. Now she (slightly reluctantly and a bit grumpily) helps Aunt Jasmine run an inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guest’s shenanigans, tries to keep the talking fox in check, and longs for the magical future she lost.

When she learns about an old spell book that could hold the secret to restoring her power, she finds herself turning to Luke Larsen, a gorgeous and icy historian who might be the only person who can help her unlock the book’s mysteries. The fact that he also happens to be her one-night stand from years ago is totally irrelevant.

Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and trying not to fall in love is a lot for anyone, but Sera 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.

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✶ PRE-READING ✶

Cosy fantasy with a magical inn and a burnt-out protagonist? Yes, please. I expected something warm, slightly chaotic, and emotionally satisfying - plus the added bonus of a reluctant hero arc, one of my favourites.

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✶ POST-READING ✶

As I thought... The inn setting was bursting with charm: guests who keep secrets in suitcases, spells that run amok, and the kind of emotional messiness that makes a place feel like home. Sera’s dry humour and slow-burning vulnerability gave the story real heart, and I adored the found-family dynamic with Jasmine and the staff. The web of relationships between the characters was wonderful to trace and watch blossom and grow.

It surprised me by... ...how manic the pacing felt in places. Sera is always juggling twelve things at once, and while it fits her character, it occasionally made the story feel breathless - like cosy fantasy with a double espresso shot. That said, the book had sneaky emotional depth beneath all the chaos, especially in how it explored grief, letting go, and the fear of being unnecessary. And the romance? Delightfully awkward but grounded.

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✦ RECOMMENDATIONS ✦

Book Recommendation: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett – for another prickly academic heroine who’s reluctantly drawn into magical mischief and unexpected connection.

TV or Movie Recommendation: The House in Fata Morgana (visual novel) or The Magicians (TV series) – the former for the melancholy magic in a house full of secrets, the latter for the chaotic, clever energy and snarky trauma bonding.

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✧ VIBE CHECK ✧

A colour palette: Amethyst, soot-black, warm honey-brown, and forest moss

A soundtrack: Clattering teacups, crackling hearth fire, a cello line threading beneath whimsical piano

A season: Late October - gusty, golden, and occasionally too much

A mood: Frazzled but hopeful; tired of the mess but secretly invested in fixing it

A scent: Candle wax, old books, damp stone corridors, and lemon-verbena tea

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★ TAROT CARD PULLED ★

Ten of Wands – Cosy Witch Tarot.
A woman stumbles toward a gathering, arms full of lit candles, clearly overburdened - but determined to see it through. The accompanying affirmation reads: “Why make things so much more difficult than they need to be?”
This card fits Sera perfectly. She’s taken too much on - grudges, guilt, guests, grief - and refuses to let go, even when help is freely offered. But the warmth of the inn, and the people around her, quietly insist: you don’t have to carry everything alone.

A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping publishes on the 17th of July, 2025. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.