Loved it! Perfect escapism for these trying times. Alice Hoffman has created such great characters in this series and it was fun to read about them again. ( )

It was good. I expected a bit more but it was enjoyable ( )

When Jet hears the death beetle's rattle and realizes her end is coming soon, she puts her affairs in order and discovers a potential cure for her family's curse -- but one that can only be conducted by her remaining family members after her death. Meanwhile, her great-great-niece Kylie is heartbroken when her romantic partner is hurt in an accident and vows to do anything to keep the curse from getting him -- even if it means turning to dark magic.

I remain so glad that I read this book series following the chronology of the family rather than the publication dates. Although this book follows Practical Magic in the family's timeline, it is the true sequel to The Rules of Magic, book 2 in the chronology. Instead of being mushed together as "the aunts," the Franny and Jet characters who I loved in the second book are in full force and their long-lost brother Vincent also re-appears as a main character. New characters are added in Ian, Tom, David, Margaret, and others met when the family travels to England. Returning characters from Practical Magic are softened and actualized so the reader feels more compassion for them, even if Hoffman decides to revamp Antonia, Jillian, etc. so that they have somewhat different characteristics than their initial introductions. Years have passed between that novel and this one, so it's understandable if they are different now, even if the narrator tries to describe them as always being this way.

Long story short is that I enjoyed this book much more than the previous one. I think what kept me from enjoying it even more is that it felt a little like it was re-treading the same ground as the previous books in the series. As with the Maria/Faith story in Magic Lessons, we have a mother trying to find her missing daughter as that daughter dabbles in left-handed magic. As with the Gary plotline in Practical Magic, we find Sally once more a widow refusing to acknowledge love even as she encounters someone she has feelings for almost immediately. And so on. I do appreciate the full circle of bringing the family back to the first Essex where Maria Owens was born in order to destroy the curse that has plagued their family for centuries, but some parts of this book did drag a little bit and the ending is pretty much gift-wrapped and bow-tied with everyone left in the family getting exactly what they want. Still, a happy ending is a nice thing sometimes, right? ( )

I really loved how she wrapped up this magical world of the Owens women. I felt content with what happened and deeply enjoyed the tying of the past with the present. The only thing that bothered me and why I didn't give it five stars, was the repetition of certain phrases. I know it happens but this was so constant that it pulled me out of the book world. I'd still recommend it to anyone that loves her work or the Practical Magic world. ( )

A satisfying end to the series. It did drag in the middle, but I think that's more of a me thing. The middle gets quite adventurous and that's not what I read this series for. I read it for the cozy vibes, not traipsing around Europe vibes. I'm glad that I read it in publication order, though I can see how reading it in chronological order would work too. ( )