A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping

By: Sangu Mandanna

Narrated by: Samara MacLaren

A whimsical and heartwarming novel about a witch who has a second chance to get her magical powers—and her life—back on track, from the national bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.

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 Jasmine 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 just might 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.

©2024 Sangu Mandanna (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Found family, a talking fox, a quaint inn in an English village—it’s like this book was written just for me. Mandanna somehow writes existential crises like a warm hug.”—The New York Times

"I want to live inside this wonderful book! Every single page is sweet, quirky, charming, and one hundred percent delightful! I absolutely loved it!"—Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop

"This book is pure magic. Warm, cozy, and gentle, fiery, passionate, and angry, joyful, insightful, and hilarious. It’s full of love and heart and emotion, and I adored every moment of it. I so wish I could check into Sera’s inn to hang out with her and Luke and Jasmine and that delightful undead rooster."—Jasmine Guillory, New York Times bestselling author of Flirting Lessons

Great Book

I loved the story and finished in about 3 days. I wish the ending was a *bit* different. However, I feel it was a fitting end even though it was bittersweet. This book made me want a scone, a cup of tea, and a warm fire. And the reader was very good

Just the cozy book I needed

This book is a great combination of found family, magic, and love. I also was very happy with representation of disability, autism, and queer relationships. I found myself thinking about the characters a lot when I wasn't reading and I'm sad that we won't have more stories about them, especially Roo. I love that skeletal chicken.

Cozy, happy, loving

An actual perfect book for those who love cozy magic stories — tastes like a hot chocolate on a cold day

Breathes humanity in real Magic!!

Sangu is simply magical when combining artistic vision with human emotions and diversity of people's skin, country, trials of humanity. She takes disabilities, coping mechanisms, mental struggles and turns them in shiny beautiful badges to be worn with pride. Just like making magic into auras of sparkling stars and trails of burning phoinex feathers.

I loved her first book so much. I can't explain how impressed I am about her talent of words, structure and ability to layer so so much in a story. I read 1000s of books, around 300 a year for over 20 years.
I have never been so astonished by how unexpected a book was in recent years that I can think of. Her first witchy book took that prize. I have been waiting for this book forever and was worried it wouldn't be able to hold up.
I will forever wait how ever impatiently as long as each book of hers takes for as long as she writes, for this book didn't just match the beautiful unqiness of the first witchy book she found a way to surpass it.

Very sweet

I loved everything up until the last 45 minutes! Overall a good read just not the ending I was hoping for.

Created a great well of enchantment.

There was too much use of the F word. The author was so good with the way she weaved the story and didn’t need it.

perfect cozy read!

I loved this book (as well as the very secret society) and this narrator does an amazing job of bringing all of the cozy vibes together.

nest and tidy

I love it when a book wraps up neatly. Although the setup was a bit sloppy, the majority of the story was very entertaining. Characters are well developed and the pacing was great.

The Whimsy!!

🔮🦊✨🍵🐓📖

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

🕯️ Sera Swan was once one of the most powerful witches, until a spell gone wrong left her magic fractured. Now, she runs her great-aunt’s enchanted inn, where the guests are as eccentric as the spells that hold the walls together.

🦊 From Clemmie the fox-witch to a zombie rooster who won’t stay put, the inn is never short on chaos, laughter, and a bit of trouble.

📖 Enter Luke Larsen, a grumpy, blonde haired, blue eyed and sharp-tongued magical historian with secrets of his own. He and Sera clash (constantly), but when an ancient spellbook threatens to stir up the past, they’re forced to work together.

🧡Along with Luke is his little sister Posey (autism rep) and her relationship with Theo and Sera was all heart.

✨ Between innkeeping disasters, mischievous magic, and stolen quiet moments, Sera begins to question whether the magic she lost was ever the kind she truly needed. And Luke? Well… he might just be the home she didn’t know she was missing.

🍵 A cozy tale of found family, messy hearts, and the kind of love that lingers even when magic doesn’t.

Fantastic!!

Sooo good!! Love the main character, they way she thought and how she solved her problems. It was a beautiful book!