A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping

By: Sangu Mandanna
Published Year: 2025
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 336

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Sera Swan used to be 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 Guild. Now she (slightly reluctantly and just a bit grumpily) helps her aunt run an enchanted inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests' shenanigans, tries to keep said talking fox in check, and longs for the future that seems lost to her. But then she finds out about an old spell that could hold the key to restoring her power…

Enter Luke Larsen, handsome and icy magical historian, who arrives on a dark winter evening and might just know how to unlock the spell’s secrets. Luke has absolutely no interest in getting involved in the madcap goings-on of the inn and is definitely not about to let a certain bewitching innkeeper past his walls, so no one is more surprised than he is when he agrees to help Sera with her spell. Worse, he might actually be thawing.

Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and staying one step ahead of the watchful Guild is a lot for anyone, but Sera Swan 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.

First Impressions

Last year I read The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and fell in love. I had been a little resistant to read it but ended up loving it. When I saw Mandanna was coming out with a new book this year it immediately jumped to the top of my to-read list. I do think I like this cover a little more than Irregular, so I would have picked this one up off the shelf before the other.

What I thought

This one did not disappoint!

Sera is one of the most powerful witches in England until she uses her powers to resurrect her great aunt. 15 years after doing so, she is running an inn in England with her great aunt and a few misfit residents. When Luke, a witch historian, shows up at her inn, Sera realizes this might be her one chance to get her magic back.

This book is described as a grumpy/sunshine but I didn’t really find Sera to be grumpy or Luke to be sunshiney. Regardless, they had great chemistry and I greatly enjoyed them both. The cast of characters at the inn were great too. Clemmie, the with trapped in a foxes body, was maybe my least favorite but I think we’re supposed to have a bit of a love/hate relationship with her as the reader. I adored Matilda and Sera’s aunt Jasmine and also enjoyed her nephew Theo and Nathaniel. They each played off of each other wonderfully and brought balance to some of the heavier storylines.

The way that Mandanna balances whimsy with heart is unmatched. She also writes found family stories so well. I think this book and Irregular are great for people who might not have a family or aren’t super closer to their families. They show that even misfits can find their place.

I found it interesting that she chose to have an autistic child as a character in this story, but think it was written sensitively and realistically. On top of that, the magical mystery side of the story was so fun. I loved how Sera’s magic was described. Yet again, I would gladly live in this universe for multiple books.