Review of A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

A friend lent A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping to me, and I was worried it wouldn’t be me for me—it would be too cutesy, too romancey, for my tastes (I am such a snob). Sangu Mandanna sure schooled me! This was a delightful fantasy, and while events towards the end belie its “cozy” status, I do think that label generally describes it well.

I really want to discuss the ending of this book, so I will spoil it! Read on at your own risk.

Sera Swan was once the up-and-coming magical prodigy in the UK. That is, she was born with more of the “stuff,” the “juice,” whatever you want to call it, than anyone since her mentor, Albert Grey, entered the magical scene. As a child, however, Sera casts a dangerous and powerful spell to resuscitate her Aunt Jasmine, with whom she lives at their quiet country B-and-B. The spell works—without any nasty necromantic repercussions—but burns out so much of Sera’s magic that it does not recover. Fallen from grace, as it were, Sera retires from magical life and essentially takes over the innkeeping duties from Jasmine. Fast-forward a couple decades, and Sera is now the house mom to a growing cast of characters, all of whom seem determined to drive her batty even as they make her feel needed and loved.

From the beginning, Mandanna establishes a memorable world and cast of characters. I love a story about a Chosen-One-That-Wasn’t, and Sera’s story is no exception. She has settled into a life no one expected for her. When plot dangles the promise of new magic in front of her, Sera has to recalibrate everything she has known for her entire adult life.

The setting, Sera’s inn, reminds me a lot of Tanya Huff’s Keeper Chronicles. There’s something so warm and welcoming about how Mandanna describes the place along with its denizens. All of the supporting cast are interesting, albeit somewhat two-dimensional, characters. This setting and these characters are what make A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping feel so cozy.

Then we have Luke and Posey. What a duo. Luke is a fine love interest. I didn’t care much about the romance (and it isn’t a huge part of the story so much as a subplot), but it was all right. I liked Luke’s care for Posey and the way everyone at the inn bands together to support her and accept her instead of policing her or encouraging her to mask.

You could be almost forgiven for forgetting there’s a plot going on! Albert Grey kind of sabotages himself here: if he hadn’t been so consumed with squashing Sera, she might never have decided to restore her powers. But he is his own worse enemy, and his hunger for power and control is of course his own undoing.

The resolution is predictable once Mandanna lays out all the pieces in front of us: of course Sera is going to sacrifice her magic for a second time, this time willingly, this time to deal with Grey once and for all. Predictable it might be, it’s still fascinating and the reason I want to spoil the end in this review.

Sera gives up her magic so completely this second time around—with just that one little star left out of all the galaxies she used to be able to see—and it also spells the end of the spell protecting her cozy inn. That kind of staggered me even if it didn’t surprise me. As someone who loves the status quo and a good protected headquarters in a story, it always breaks me heart a little to see that status quo broken.

But I think this is the heart of the theme Mandanna weaves throughout A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping: you have to keep growing and changing throughout your life instead of standing still. Sera’s role as protector of the inn was important for a long time. Giving it up is going to be hard. Yet as she hints at the end, it’s also the start of a new and exciting chapter, one where she could travel, or explore a relationship with Luke without any pressures or expectations placed upon her by her magical inheritance. I was saddened by the endings herein, yet I understand the predominant atmosphere is one of hope.

It’s these powerful contrasting emotions that make A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping stand out for me. Cozy is a great descriptor for so much of this book. Yet it also features a wizard duel and a lot of serious upheaval in its main character’s life. This duality serves the book well, making it a rewarding and deeply fascinating read.