Book Review: A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

Child prodigy Sera Swan must own her past decisions and their consequences while still looking to the future she strives for all while helping her aunt run a magical inn for misfits in this charming cozy fantasy.

4/5 Stars

I recently binged some cozy books in an effort to get out of a wintertime funk. This book in particular had been on my list since last year when I received the ALC from Libro.fm (shout out well-deserved!). What followed was a delightful jaunt through this lightly magical story of found family, second chances, and light romance.

Our main character Sera Swan faces old nemeses now that she has been rejected from her magical society. All the promise that she held as a scholar went down the drain with one decision (I don't want to spoil it!), resulting in a zombie chicken and her expulsion from a rigorous school program. Resigned to a fate of reigning in her eccentric tenants, Sera helps her aunt run a magical inn that seems to draw lost souls to their gates. The house shows her old memories, her aunt might be starting a late-life romance with one of the guests, and a childhood acquaintance has appeared on her steps with his kid sister in tow. Can she start her life over with new goals and priorities in mind, or will her past keep her from a future of self-acceptance and self-love?

This story felt so unbelievably real and deep considering the cozy fantasy tag. The relationships between characters are so endearing, and the situations they get themselves in made me laugh out loud at times. I loved that Mandanna's magical world and all the little quirks the magic system presented serve to highlight the emotional journeys of the characters, no matter how pivotal to the story or sidelined the characters may be. More specific themes of taking care of a family member with autism, dealing with racism from a place of interiority, and the damage caused by poor mentorship make this story feel truly unique. I will definitely be looking into this author's other work in the future!