Read this over vacation and enjoyed it a lot. The pacing was a little fast for me, but the story chugged along and kept up. I haven't read the original book since it came out, but I remember liking it, too. The (now) third in the series, Rules of Magic, didn't appeal to me. It's fascinating that the three books can be so unique from each other, but be united by a common story.

As an aside, I hate the cover! I'm never a fan of covers that feature the characters. Inevitably, they're never represented the way I see them.

And one last thing: I found the italicized font inside (lists of useful herbs, etc). almost unreadable. The letters ran together. After the first few I found myself just skipping over those passages. They don't really add to the story anyway. ( )

very good ( )

3.5 Stars

Really enjoyed this novel even though I am not a fan of Magic realism books but I am a fan of historical fiction. I love Alice Hoffman’s writing and her beautifully drawn characters and could not resist downloading this one after reading friends reviews. I believe this is a prequel to Practical Magic so I have at least the advantage of starting this series at the beginning

Set in the 17th Century we follow the story of Maria Owens who has been abandoned as a baby and brought up by a witch called Hannah. Magic Lessons follows Maria’s life and that of her daughter Faith and by the end of this one I felt I was well equipped to Maggie up a few magic potions myself.

For someone who doesn’t love magic realism I do enjoy novels which feature the Salem Witch Trials and Magic Lessons does take us to this place and time.
I love Alice Hoffman’s ability to tell a story as she sucks you in from the very first page. Vivid and entertaining characters and a wonderful sense of time and place as she weaves a beautiful story of history and magic.

I listened to this one on audible and the narrator Sutton Foster was excellent. This is my third novel by this author and I am hoping to read [b:The Dovekeepers|10950924|The Dovekeepers|Alice Hoffman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1306253903l/10950924._SY75_.jpg|15868401] next as a few of my Goodread’s friends have highly recommended it.

A perfect by the fireside read for this time of year a great escapism novel. ( )

I received a complimentary digital copy of this arc book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

It all begins in 1664 when Hannah Owens finds baby Maria wrapped in a blue blanket in the woods. She brings the baby to her secluded cottage in the woods where she raises her as her own. She discovers that Maria is not an ordinary child as she quickly learns the healing properties of herbs. Having been an orphan herself, Hannah takes pride in teaching Maria how to read and write which are valuable tools during this time period.

Maria’s life is turned upside down when her biological mother shows up to claim Maria after many years. She carries her own secrets of the past and reasons for abandoning Maria in the forest. Her life is at stake when she learns about her family history and the curse that lingers through the generations. When Maria is 16 years old she becomes pregnant by an influential married man. When her daughter Faith is 5 years old they flee to Massachusetts after persuading Captain Abraham Dias to allow them passage to the states. He is convinced when she is able to care for his 25 year old son Samuel who is stricken with dengue.

Again, the story of the Owens family is not typical and filled with intrigue and mystery. The lessons of magic are delicate and sacred not to be entrusted to those who do not value its purpose. ( )

**3.5 Stars**
I found that I really liked this story at the beginning and at the end, but it felt like it dragged in the middle, which took a lot out of my momentum. The intertwined stories of Maria and Faith, how they grow up experiencing love and discovering how to use their magic. The connection to the Salem witch trials was nice to see as well. Once can appreciate the underlying message of the story of love, how love aids us, brings us together, how it can hurt us, and how it can heal us. Overall, as prequels go, I liked this one. ( )