The cosy fantasy genre is having a boom at the moment, with titles like Travis Baldree‘s Legends and Lattes setting the tone for character driven stories that don’t necessarily involve epic quests, but do involve a lot of hot drinks. Rewitched, by YouTuber Lucy Jane Wood, is the latest cosy, autumnal read to come across my path; and the best way that I can think of to describe it is: what if Sabrina the Teenage Witch grew up and started running a bookshop?
Rewitched is the story of Belladonna Blackthorn, AKA Belle, a young witch who is about to turn 30. In Belle’s world, magic is bestowed upon young witches at the age of 15, and when they turn 30, their use of the magic is evaluated to see whether or not they deserve to keep it. The process is called endarkenment.
Unfortunately, Belle, who has been trying to live a fairly normal life, didn’t read that far into her grimoire, and did not realise that she probably should have been preparing for this test. Instead, she’s been using her magic to do things like tidy the children’s area at Lunar Books (which, as a library worker and a former bookseller myself, I can totally get behind) and making herself cups of tea when she’s tired. So when a very tall, very strange and… okay, kind of hot… warlock appears in her bookshop to make sure she’s definitely received the summons to her test, it’s safe to say that Belle freaks out a little bit.
In this world, the non-magical world is referred to as non-wicche, and Belle’s life in the non-wicche sense is not all sunshine and puppies either. Her beloved Lunar Books is changing, and it’s partially her fault. When the owner, Violet, decided to retire, she wanted Belle to take over and Belle was too scared and said no. Now, the bookshop’s immaculate vibes are being ruined by Violet’s finance bro buffoon of a son, Christopher. As Belle is forced to pass a series of tests to prove she deserves to keep her powers, she’s also up against a toxic boss, trying to make sure her best friend doesn’t hate her for sneaking around, and she might just uncover a dastardly plot or two along the way…
As one would expect from a cosy fantasy novel, Rewitched is a charming novel peopled with eccentric witches and warlocks and their familiars. At times, I found the plot a little meandering in the beginning, but once Belle began facing a month-long challenge to keep her magic and nefarious powers started to work against her, the plot sped up. This one is light on the romance too, and I would say it tends towards the sweet rather than the spicy. But, the love interest – named Rune – is definitely dishy. Those adults who have been reading the Nevermoor middle grade books may also find that Rewitched satisfies their cravings for the next book in that series.
Certain characters do tend towards stereotypes, such as Belle’s toxic boss Christopher. But the characters that really count are well developed and loveable. I particularly liked the development of the relationship between Belle and her childhood best friend.
With themes of loyalty, found family, and being true to oneself, and with a hearty dose of Halloween decor, this is the perfect read for this time of year, even if we are in the opposite hemisphere for the weather to match.
If you’re a fan of urban fantasy and witchy vibes, and you’re into crunchy spicy leaf season, then this one might be for you.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood is available now from Pan Macmillan Australia. Get yourself a copy from your favourite bookstore HERE.
