The Book of Magic (Practical Magic, #2) by Alice Hoffman @ahoffmanwriter @simonschuster @netgalley @edelweiss_squad #fiction #literaryfiction #magicalrealism #bookreview

Susanne’s Review:

Alice Hoffman, you have surpassed my wildest expectations!  

With The Book of Magic, the fourth book in the magic series, Ms. Hoffman has accomplished what I consider to be an impossible feat.  Writing a final installment, that is, in my opinion, better than all prior books in the series.  

I adored The Rules of Magic and Magic Lessons and frankly didn’t think any book could surpass those, yet The Book of Magic did exactly that.  Bravo Ms. Hoffman, Bravo!

Weaving together all prior books, here we have the final book in the Practical Magic series, with

Aunts Jet and Franny Owens, Uncle Vincent, Sally and Gillian, and Sally’s children, Kylie and Antonia.

Troubling times are ahead for the Owens family, though this should not come as a surprise.  The curse that Maria Owens bestowed upon this family still hovers.  

When Jet Owens hears the knocking of the deathwatch beetle, she knows her time is drawing to a close and that a lot of work must be done before she draws her last breath. 

The Rules of Magic of course, still apply here “Do as you will but harm no one, What you will give will be returned to you threefold” and of course, no falling in love. The issue is of course, that Sally Owens has raised her children as if magic does not exist, thus they know nothing of the curse until it strikes. For Kylie Owens, this spells disaster.  

What happens next, is well, pure magic.  

Almost from the start, chills ran down my spine and made my pulse quicken at the predicament the Owens family found themselves in. Racing against time, Franny, Sally, Gillian, and Vincent desperately try to save Kylie and destroy the curse once and for all.  

Written from the heart, The Book of Magic is character-driven fiction, magical realism and literary fiction all rolled into one.  

The Book of Magic is filled with LOVE. Fierce, wicked, and pure. Love is what defines the Owens family and it will prevail.

This is a novel that will most definitely be on my Goodreads best-of-list for 2021. 

To Alice Hoffman, thank you for sharing the Owens family with us for all of these years.  To Hannah, Maria, Faith, Jet, Franny, Vincent, Sally, Gillian, Kylie, and Antonia Owens: You are loved, Always.    

Thank you to Simon & Schuster, Edelweiss, and NetGalley for the arc.

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