A Curious Kind of Magic by Mara Rutherford

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✦ BLURB ✦

Everyone in Ardmuir knows that Willow Stokes is a charlatan, including Willow herself. Her father’s shoppe hasn’t sold anything magical in decades, and it’s only hanging on by the skin of the fake dragon’s teeth Willow sells as charms, along with “enchanted” ostrich eggs, taxidermied chimeras, and talismans made of fools’ gold.

Until outlander Brianna Hargrave appears and turns Willow’s fakes into exactly what they’re purported to be. But try as Willow might to enlist Bri’s help, she wants nothing to do with Willow and her curiosities.

Because Brianna is harboring a secret of her own: everything she touches turns to magic, and the consequences have chased her all the way to Ardmuir. All she wants to do is find a particular missing grimoire, which contains a spell that can finally put an end to her curse.

Desperate to keep her father's shoppe, Willow proposes a bargain that could save them both. Together with the frustratingly handsome printer's assistant, the girls will uncover a plot that goes far deeper than either could have imagined. But when Willow is forced to participate in an ambitious collector's quest for the rarest magical object in the world—a quest that risks almost-certain death—she learns that not all treasure is for sale, and that true magic is closer than she ever could have imagined.

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✨ A Curious Kind of Magic is a whimsical tale of fake spells, real consequences, and the accidental alchemy of friendship.

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PRE-READING THOUGHTS
I’m expecting a lighthearted, slightly chaotic fantasy with a dash of romance and a lot of heart. The setup promises a fun dynamic between a con-artist-with-a-conscience and a reluctant magical powerhouse, which already screams "grumpy meets sunshine but reversed." I’m also intrigued by the idea of magical consequences—how Brianna’s touch enchants everything and the trouble that surely trails behind it. I’m hoping for a little madcap adventure, some clever shopkeeping shenanigans, and a found family vibe among misfits.

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POST-READING
As I thought...
The book delivered that village eccentricity energy in spades—Ardmuir is practically a character in itself, and Willow is an absolute delight: insecure, wildly inventive, and incapable of giving up on people, even when they’re prickly and cursed. Her fake-it-til-you-make-it charm operation was both hilarious and unexpectedly touching, especially once real magic began to flicker through.

It surprised me by...
...how deep the emotional arc went. Brianna’s curse wasn’t just a fun magical gimmick—it’s tied up in guilt, fear, and the longing to connect without breaking the world around her. The stakes quietly crept up until suddenly, the treasure hunt felt real, and Willow’s choice to face almost-certain doom for the sake of people she’s only just started to trust? That hit. Hard. Also, shout-out to the printer’s assistant, who had way more chemistry with Willow than expected. Brooding + ink-stained fingers = yes please.

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MUSIC PAIRING
🎵 Featured Song: “Gold Rush” – Taylor Swift (for that feeling of wanting something dazzling you might never be able to keep)
🎶 Vibe Album: Wilder Mind – Mumford & Sons (melancholy and grit with glimmers of hope)
🎧 Artist Recommendation: First Aid Kit – their haunting, folksy vocals are perfect for Brianna's tragic magic.

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VIBE CHECK
🎨 Colour Palette: Worn parchment, oxidised bronze, dark plum, candlelight gold
🎬 Soundtrack: Practical Magic meets Stardust
🍂 Season: Late autumn—crisp air, firelight, and the last chance to change your fate
🌀 Mood: Melancholy whimsy with a kick of mischief
🌿 Scent: Dusty book pages, cloves, waxy dragonfruit, and salt from sea air

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🃏 Tarot Pull: The Lovers – Tarot of the 78 Doors
In the lush apple orchard, the Lovers card shows a moment of choice—and the weight that comes with it. The gypsy reading the palm speaks to the tension between fate and free will, while the watchful woman reminds us that no decision happens in isolation. For Willow and Brianna, this card captures the heart of their journey: navigating magic, trust, and the choices that define who they become. It’s not just romance; it’s a crossroads of destiny and self-discovery.

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FOR FANS OF
📚 The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
📺 The Magicians (if it leaned more romantic and ran on charming shop chaos)

A Curious Kind of Magic publishes on the 23rd September, 2025. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.