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The Book Witch
She can hop into any novel, but she just can’t stay there.
Come along with the Book Witch in this magical and inspiring love letter to reading from the USA Today bestselling author of The Wishing Game.
“Meg Shaffer continues to surprise and delight me with each book she writes.”—Laurie Gilmore, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Pumpkin Spice Café
Rainy March is a proud, third-generation Book Witch, sworn to defend works of fiction from all foes real and imaginary. With her magical umbrella and feline familiar, she jumps in and out of novels to fix malicious alterations and rogue heroes like a modern-day magical Nancy Drew.
Book Witches live by a strict code: Real people belong in the real world; fictional characters belong in works of fiction. Do not eat, drink, or sleep inside a fictional world, lest you become part of the story. Falling in love with a fictional character? Don’t even think about it.
Which is why Rainy has been forbidden from seeing the Duke of Chicago, the dashing British detective who stars in her favorite mystery series. If she’s ever caught with him again, she’ll be expelled from her book coven—and forced to give up the magical gifts that are as much a part of her as her own name.
But when her beloved grandfather disappears and a priceless book is stolen, there’s only one person she trusts to help her solve the case: the Duke. Their quest takes them through the worlds of Alice in Wonderland, King Arthur, and other classics that will reveal hidden enemies and long-buried family secrets.
Come along with the Book Witch in this magical and inspiring love letter to reading from the USA Today bestselling author of The Wishing Game.
“Meg Shaffer continues to surprise and delight me with each book she writes.”—Laurie Gilmore, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Pumpkin Spice Café
Rainy March is a proud, third-generation Book Witch, sworn to defend works of fiction from all foes real and imaginary. With her magical umbrella and feline familiar, she jumps in and out of novels to fix malicious alterations and rogue heroes like a modern-day magical Nancy Drew.
Book Witches live by a strict code: Real people belong in the real world; fictional characters belong in works of fiction. Do not eat, drink, or sleep inside a fictional world, lest you become part of the story. Falling in love with a fictional character? Don’t even think about it.
Which is why Rainy has been forbidden from seeing the Duke of Chicago, the dashing British detective who stars in her favorite mystery series. If she’s ever caught with him again, she’ll be expelled from her book coven—and forced to give up the magical gifts that are as much a part of her as her own name.
But when her beloved grandfather disappears and a priceless book is stolen, there’s only one person she trusts to help her solve the case: the Duke. Their quest takes them through the worlds of Alice in Wonderland, King Arthur, and other classics that will reveal hidden enemies and long-buried family secrets.
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 7, 2026
2046 people are currently reading
144685 people want to read
About the author
Meg Shaffer
3 books4,601 followersMeg Shaffer is the USA Today bestselling author of The Lost Story and The Wishing Game, which was a Book of the Month finalist for Book of the Year, a Reader’s Digest and Washington Post Best Book of the Year, and has been translated into 21 languages. Meg holds an MFA in TV and Screenwriting from Stephens College. She lives in Kentucky.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,159 reviews
May 8, 2026
“All stories are love stories when you love stories.”
I think I’ll have that line tattooed on my forearm after reading this fantastic book.
Oh. My. Goodness.
I loved every page, every chapter, every character, every single word of this story! This isn’t just a “shouting from the rooftops” kind of praise — it’s a climb to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, cheer until you pass out from altitude kind of love. That’s how much this book deserves to be celebrated.
I adored Rainy March, the brave and wistful book witch; the dreamy Duke of Chicago, who swept me right off the page; and Koshka, the coolest familiar cat ever written — and I’m not even a cat person! Honestly, I could read thousands of books about their adventures.
This world where readers can jump inside plots, fight villains, and save endangered stories is absolute magic. The “burners” — those who attack books and try to erase their characters because they’re deemed less valuable than the so-called classics — make for such clever, original antagonists. The concept is genius, the pacing electric, and the twists? So sharp and smart that I literally clapped at some of the revelations.
The story follows Rainy March, a young woman in her late twenties who’s devoted her life to protecting books. Orphaned as a baby and raised by her beloved grandparents, her Pop is the only family she has left — until he suddenly disappears. Rainy is also nursing an impossible love: she fell hard for her childhood crush, the Duke of Chicago, while on a mission inside his book. When their secret meetings are discovered by the infuriatingly strict Dr. Fanshawe (the ultimate rule-enforcer), Rainy is punished — exiled to gothic novels, placed under house arrest, and even stripped of her magical umbrella for daring to help a fictional character. What a cruel twist of fate!
But then the Duke of Chicago escapes his book and crosses into the real world to help Rainy uncover her family’s secrets — including the truth behind her Pop’s disappearance. Together, they chase literary breadcrumbs through Alice in Wonderland, aided by a young apprentice witch who secretly lends a hand. What mystery ties Rainy’s mother to these books? Why did she leave behind a copy of Nancy Drew? And when the story ends, how can Rainy possibly say goodbye to the most charming detective ever — even if he’s fictional? (I get you, Rainy. I was in love with David Addison from Moonlighting when I was ten. Sometimes fiction simply outshines reality!)
Overall: this is one of the most imaginative, heartfelt, and upstanding fantasy novels I’ve ever read. It’s a love letter to readers, writers, and dreamers alike — and I’ll do everything I can to put this book on your radar because it deserves every single star in the universe.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with this digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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I think I’ll have that line tattooed on my forearm after reading this fantastic book.
Oh. My. Goodness.
I loved every page, every chapter, every character, every single word of this story! This isn’t just a “shouting from the rooftops” kind of praise — it’s a climb to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, cheer until you pass out from altitude kind of love. That’s how much this book deserves to be celebrated.
I adored Rainy March, the brave and wistful book witch; the dreamy Duke of Chicago, who swept me right off the page; and Koshka, the coolest familiar cat ever written — and I’m not even a cat person! Honestly, I could read thousands of books about their adventures.
This world where readers can jump inside plots, fight villains, and save endangered stories is absolute magic. The “burners” — those who attack books and try to erase their characters because they’re deemed less valuable than the so-called classics — make for such clever, original antagonists. The concept is genius, the pacing electric, and the twists? So sharp and smart that I literally clapped at some of the revelations.
The story follows Rainy March, a young woman in her late twenties who’s devoted her life to protecting books. Orphaned as a baby and raised by her beloved grandparents, her Pop is the only family she has left — until he suddenly disappears. Rainy is also nursing an impossible love: she fell hard for her childhood crush, the Duke of Chicago, while on a mission inside his book. When their secret meetings are discovered by the infuriatingly strict Dr. Fanshawe (the ultimate rule-enforcer), Rainy is punished — exiled to gothic novels, placed under house arrest, and even stripped of her magical umbrella for daring to help a fictional character. What a cruel twist of fate!
But then the Duke of Chicago escapes his book and crosses into the real world to help Rainy uncover her family’s secrets — including the truth behind her Pop’s disappearance. Together, they chase literary breadcrumbs through Alice in Wonderland, aided by a young apprentice witch who secretly lends a hand. What mystery ties Rainy’s mother to these books? Why did she leave behind a copy of Nancy Drew? And when the story ends, how can Rainy possibly say goodbye to the most charming detective ever — even if he’s fictional? (I get you, Rainy. I was in love with David Addison from Moonlighting when I was ten. Sometimes fiction simply outshines reality!)
Overall: this is one of the most imaginative, heartfelt, and upstanding fantasy novels I’ve ever read. It’s a love letter to readers, writers, and dreamers alike — and I’ll do everything I can to put this book on your radar because it deserves every single star in the universe.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with this digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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February 3, 2026I can’t wait to get my hands on this one! 😍
Thank you Ballantine Books for the advance digital copy. Can’t wait to start this soon!!
Expected Release Date - 04/07/26
Thank you Ballantine Books for the advance digital copy. Can’t wait to start this soon!!
Expected Release Date - 04/07/26
April 21, 2026
If you love books about books ... here you go.
Rainy March is a book witch, who along with her adorable feline familiar Koshka, protects books and stories from those intent on making them disappear. While this story uses fantasy and magical realism to make its point, it's clearly a commentary on the growing book banning movements and the threat to silence voices that some unfortunate people in power deem not worthy of being heard.
As is her style if you've read her first two books, Shaffer dips into the classics once again, this time using elements of Alice in Wonderland, Nancy Drew, Pride & Prejudice and others, with the magical realism aspect being that Rainy and Koshka can travel in and out of stories as needed to restore a book whose words are suddenly disappearing or whose characters have gone missing. It's a fun premise and that was my favorite aspect of the book.
Another entertaining element was British detective Duke, Rainy's long-time book crush from the fictional Duke of Chicago series. Their initial meeting and interactions throughout the book were a lot of fun - particularly how utterly enamored he is of her! He's quite the charmer. When Rainy's grandfather goes missing, Duke and Rainy team up to find him and have all sorts of adventures along the way.
I always appreciate Shaffer's imagination and creativity in her stories. It's clear how much she loves books and the gift of reading. She even gives a sweet spotlight to Reading Rainbow's LeVar Burton, who taught generations of us to love books!
This was an immersion read following along on my Kindle while listening to the wonderful narration by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw, a new-to-me narrator who I hope to hear again. While I enjoyed it a lot, I didn't like it quite as much as the previous two books, simply because the story got a little convoluted in parts and I kind of guessed one of the major reveals pretty early on. It also skewed just a touch younger in tone. That said, I thought the romance was very sweet and the final reveal was very unexpected and fun!
If you enjoy a cozy mystery mixed with some fantasy, magical realism and lots of references and nods to other books, this is definitely worth a look!
★★★★
Thanks to Ballantine Books, NetGalley and author Meg Shaffer for the DRC to honestly review and to Audible for the audio. It's out now.
Rainy March is a book witch, who along with her adorable feline familiar Koshka, protects books and stories from those intent on making them disappear. While this story uses fantasy and magical realism to make its point, it's clearly a commentary on the growing book banning movements and the threat to silence voices that some unfortunate people in power deem not worthy of being heard.
As is her style if you've read her first two books, Shaffer dips into the classics once again, this time using elements of Alice in Wonderland, Nancy Drew, Pride & Prejudice and others, with the magical realism aspect being that Rainy and Koshka can travel in and out of stories as needed to restore a book whose words are suddenly disappearing or whose characters have gone missing. It's a fun premise and that was my favorite aspect of the book.
Another entertaining element was British detective Duke, Rainy's long-time book crush from the fictional Duke of Chicago series. Their initial meeting and interactions throughout the book were a lot of fun - particularly how utterly enamored he is of her! He's quite the charmer. When Rainy's grandfather goes missing, Duke and Rainy team up to find him and have all sorts of adventures along the way.
I always appreciate Shaffer's imagination and creativity in her stories. It's clear how much she loves books and the gift of reading. She even gives a sweet spotlight to Reading Rainbow's LeVar Burton, who taught generations of us to love books!
This was an immersion read following along on my Kindle while listening to the wonderful narration by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw, a new-to-me narrator who I hope to hear again. While I enjoyed it a lot, I didn't like it quite as much as the previous two books, simply because the story got a little convoluted in parts and I kind of guessed one of the major reveals pretty early on. It also skewed just a touch younger in tone. That said, I thought the romance was very sweet and the final reveal was very unexpected and fun!
If you enjoy a cozy mystery mixed with some fantasy, magical realism and lots of references and nods to other books, this is definitely worth a look!
★★★★
Thanks to Ballantine Books, NetGalley and author Meg Shaffer for the DRC to honestly review and to Audible for the audio. It's out now.
March 30, 2026
”All stories are love stories if you love stories.”
this was such a fun and cute book! If you enjoy books about books then I highly recommend this one😌
rtcmaybe?
this was such a fun and cute book! If you enjoy books about books then I highly recommend this one😌
rtc
March 17, 2026
This novel is for all the book lovers! I had a lot of fun reading this one. It’s a book about books, comes with a lot of twists that you don’t see coming and contains magical realism. This novel has a very original storyline, which I loved. It is cozy, yet adventurous. It had me hooked right at the very beginning! It’s whimsically, funny, entertaining, mysterious, emotional and hopeful.
It’s about a book witch that can step inside any book, using magic. I know some of us wish that we could step inside a book for a little while and have some fun! Getting away from reality for just a moment in time. I do feel like this book did lack some emotional depth to it and some of the characters did feel underdeveloped, while reading this. This novel is about reality versus escapism, who we become through what we read and even a forbidden love! This book is magical and a must read! Overall, I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars rating!
Thank you to NetGalley, author Meg Shaffer and Ballantine Books publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is set to be published on April 7, 2026!
It’s about a book witch that can step inside any book, using magic. I know some of us wish that we could step inside a book for a little while and have some fun! Getting away from reality for just a moment in time. I do feel like this book did lack some emotional depth to it and some of the characters did feel underdeveloped, while reading this. This novel is about reality versus escapism, who we become through what we read and even a forbidden love! This book is magical and a must read! Overall, I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars rating!
Thank you to NetGalley, author Meg Shaffer and Ballantine Books publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is set to be published on April 7, 2026!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Meg Shaffer first cast her spell on me with The Wishing Game! I love her beautiful writing, her well thought-out and magical plots. I also loved The Lost Story and highly recommend both of those books. While I didn't quite love The Book Witch as much as I enjoyed the previous two books which I have read by Meg Shaffer, I did enjoyed being transported between the pages of a book, where the characters live, and to see things from the point of view of a book witch.
Rainy March is a book witch who defends books from both real and imaginary forces. She takes her job seriously but does find time for a little romance in her life. Where her grandfather disappears, she relies upon her love interest, the Duke!
This was a very unique and original book which has dazzled many and I do hope that more find this book to be magical. While I enjoyed this book and its world building, I wasn't quite as blown away by it as I had hoped. I did enjoy the twist and reveal at the end of the book. I feel that I should have seen this coming, but I didn't.
Overall, an enjoyable read which had me wanting more but still found enjoyable with fantastic world building.
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Rainy March is a book witch who defends books from both real and imaginary forces. She takes her job seriously but does find time for a little romance in her life. Where her grandfather disappears, she relies upon her love interest, the Duke!
This was a very unique and original book which has dazzled many and I do hope that more find this book to be magical. While I enjoyed this book and its world building, I wasn't quite as blown away by it as I had hoped. I did enjoy the twist and reveal at the end of the book. I feel that I should have seen this coming, but I didn't.
Overall, an enjoyable read which had me wanting more but still found enjoyable with fantastic world building.
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
April 11, 2026
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC
There’s something delightfully chaotic at the heart of this book which is part of its charm. It leans fully into its premise and indulges in the fantasy we've all had: what if I could step into a book?
Rainy March, a third generation book witch, has the kind of job that sounds both dreamy and impossible: protecting stories from unraveling by entering them herself. It’s a clever concept, and the book uses it to explore not just different narrative spaces, but also why stories matter in the first place. There’s a clear intelligence behind the whimsy; the book plays to that deep connection we have with fiction.
Occasionally the tone can be a bit all over the place. Most of the time it's more “unhinged bookish energy” than an actual flaw, but the pacing wobbles and some plot points could have been tighter. But the momentum of the idea carries you through. It’s the kind of chaos that feels intentional, or at least fitting for a story about slipping between worlds where rules are always a bit fluid.
The romance adds another layer of appeal, especially in how it taps into that familiar truth: yep, we’ve all fallen a little bit in love with fictional characters. It’s handled with a light touch that never overpowers the main story, acting more as an emotional anchor.
What ultimately stands out is the book’s affection for stories themselves. It’s self-aware without being cynical and playful without being shallow, and under the whimsical surface, there’s a real appreciation for fiction.
There’s something delightfully chaotic at the heart of this book which is part of its charm. It leans fully into its premise and indulges in the fantasy we've all had: what if I could step into a book?
Rainy March, a third generation book witch, has the kind of job that sounds both dreamy and impossible: protecting stories from unraveling by entering them herself. It’s a clever concept, and the book uses it to explore not just different narrative spaces, but also why stories matter in the first place. There’s a clear intelligence behind the whimsy; the book plays to that deep connection we have with fiction.
Occasionally the tone can be a bit all over the place. Most of the time it's more “unhinged bookish energy” than an actual flaw, but the pacing wobbles and some plot points could have been tighter. But the momentum of the idea carries you through. It’s the kind of chaos that feels intentional, or at least fitting for a story about slipping between worlds where rules are always a bit fluid.
The romance adds another layer of appeal, especially in how it taps into that familiar truth: yep, we’ve all fallen a little bit in love with fictional characters. It’s handled with a light touch that never overpowers the main story, acting more as an emotional anchor.
What ultimately stands out is the book’s affection for stories themselves. It’s self-aware without being cynical and playful without being shallow, and under the whimsical surface, there’s a real appreciation for fiction.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⋆. 𐙚 ˚three point five / five stars ✰
one thing about meg shaffer is she is going to write whimsical and nostalgic magical realism like her life depends on it!!! if you liked the wishing game, then i guarantee you'll enjoy this.
the concept of this story is so unique, and i honestly can't articulate what it's about properly so just go read the blurb, but what i can easily say is that you can tell it was written by a book lover for book lovers. we've all wanted to jump into our favorite books and meet our favorite characters, and shaffer brings that dream to life (or rather, to fiction?) here. so many wonderful quotes that i wish i could share, but needless to say i can't wait for all the readers to read this.
very genre blending. at it's core, a romantic and nostalgic and adventurous magical realism. but it's got something for everyone - romance and mystery primarily, a bit of thriller and fantasy and sci fi. and the romance?? tell me why it had me blushing?? but then... i also (very unexpectedly) also cried over the story?? a bit of an emotional rollercoaster at points that i wasn't prepared for, but that i'm surely not complaining about.
i wish this was a five star read, truly, because i did thoroughly love the concept and the storytelling, but ultimately the beginning and ending didn't do it for me. both the first and last 30% or so felt messy. which didn't bother me much at the start, it just took me a bit to get into the story, but after the 70% mark(ish) it just started to do too much. there were layers, which i appreciate in a story, but it was too much. it got confusing and took me out of the story, and i honestly didn't really love the big reveal/twist anyway. it all felt too convenient and easy, like we took the scenic route when it really could've been a 100 page story.
overall would definitely recommend! the story is fun and unique, as the blurb promises, and is so bingeable. i finished in about 24 hours and didn't even realize i had read so much! so while not my favorite read ever, i did enjoy it more than the wishing game, and would suggest that you all put this on your radar of 2026 releases.
── .✦ pre read
this one sounds sooo unique n fun!!
thank you to netgalley & ballantine for the arc! all opinions are my own.
release date: april 7, 2026
all stories are love stories if you love stories.
one thing about meg shaffer is she is going to write whimsical and nostalgic magical realism like her life depends on it!!! if you liked the wishing game, then i guarantee you'll enjoy this.
the concept of this story is so unique, and i honestly can't articulate what it's about properly so just go read the blurb, but what i can easily say is that you can tell it was written by a book lover for book lovers. we've all wanted to jump into our favorite books and meet our favorite characters, and shaffer brings that dream to life (or rather, to fiction?) here. so many wonderful quotes that i wish i could share, but needless to say i can't wait for all the readers to read this.
very genre blending. at it's core, a romantic and nostalgic and adventurous magical realism. but it's got something for everyone - romance and mystery primarily, a bit of thriller and fantasy and sci fi. and the romance?? tell me why it had me blushing?? but then... i also (very unexpectedly) also cried over the story?? a bit of an emotional rollercoaster at points that i wasn't prepared for, but that i'm surely not complaining about.
i wish this was a five star read, truly, because i did thoroughly love the concept and the storytelling, but ultimately the beginning and ending didn't do it for me. both the first and last 30% or so felt messy. which didn't bother me much at the start, it just took me a bit to get into the story, but after the 70% mark(ish) it just started to do too much. there were layers, which i appreciate in a story, but it was too much. it got confusing and took me out of the story, and i honestly didn't really love the big reveal/twist anyway. it all felt too convenient and easy, like we took the scenic route when it really could've been a 100 page story.
overall would definitely recommend! the story is fun and unique, as the blurb promises, and is so bingeable. i finished in about 24 hours and didn't even realize i had read so much! so while not my favorite read ever, i did enjoy it more than the wishing game, and would suggest that you all put this on your radar of 2026 releases.
── .✦ pre read
this one sounds sooo unique n fun!!
thank you to netgalley & ballantine for the arc! all opinions are my own.
release date: april 7, 2026
October 19, 2025
I went into this one thinking the first few chapters were the whole plot… and then the story opened up into so much more mystery and magic than I expected. Consider me pleasantly surprised (and fully hooked)!
This book hits every emotional note—grief, hope, wonder, joy—I felt everything and cared so deeply as the story unfolded. The characters feel wonderfully real and well-developed, especially Rainy. She’s the kind of protagonist you can’t help but root for, and even the side characters—yes, including the ones with just a few scenes—left a big impression.
Honestly, I don’t know how any booklover wouldn’t fall head over hardcover for this story. It’s laced with literary references and gentle nods to beloved works, like a love letter written in the margins to readers everywhere. But it also holds its own with a unique, refreshing storyline.
As a huge magical realism fan, this absolutely hit the mark—this is a story that feels like stepping into a library where every page hums with possibility!
** I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the author and publisher! **
This book hits every emotional note—grief, hope, wonder, joy—I felt everything and cared so deeply as the story unfolded. The characters feel wonderfully real and well-developed, especially Rainy. She’s the kind of protagonist you can’t help but root for, and even the side characters—yes, including the ones with just a few scenes—left a big impression.
Honestly, I don’t know how any booklover wouldn’t fall head over hardcover for this story. It’s laced with literary references and gentle nods to beloved works, like a love letter written in the margins to readers everywhere. But it also holds its own with a unique, refreshing storyline.
As a huge magical realism fan, this absolutely hit the mark—this is a story that feels like stepping into a library where every page hums with possibility!
** I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the author and publisher! **
April 7, 2026
Happy Publication Day, April 7, 2026 to this special book🥳
9/10: 4.5⭐️’s rounded up to 5⭐️’s.
Imagine being able to hop into a book. That is Rainy March’s job as a Book Witch; go into and out of books to fix problems that arise, such as characters going rogue etc. How fun would that be!!??
This book is an enchanting TREASURE. Nancy Drew books, Reading Rainbow, Little Debbie snack cakes, and mentions of Free Little Libraries. AND the main character is nicknamed Raindrop by her Grandfather…..how could I not love this for those reasons alone?!
I am so happy my imagination went fully along with Rainy and Duke’s adventures into books. There is mystery, magic, and romance, and a whole lot of love for books.
It is a charming, delightful, cozy, FUNNY, sweet, and nostalgic book. A tear or two may have been shed, but I survived.
(11/11/25 addition: I can’t believe I forgot to mention Koshka, Rainy’s feline familiar, who can read!! How fabulous is that!?)
This isn’t my usual rambling review, I don’t want to go off on tangents and take away from how clever and fun this book was. Be prepared to laugh. A lot. And enjoy the whimsy and magic of it all.
In the real world: Kindness is Magic! So be magical 🪄 my friends!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read the digital arc of this delightful book. All thoughts are my own.
Expected publication: April 7, 2026
Rating posted: 11/9/25
Thoughts posted: 11/10/25
Small addition about Koshka: 11/11/25
Additional note, this book was already on my radar, but it was GR friend, Krickette❤️’s review that convinced me to request the book. Me being me, I still don’t know how to post a link to a review on here, but definitely check hers out!
Reposted for publication day: 4/7/26
9/10: 4.5⭐️’s rounded up to 5⭐️’s.
Imagine being able to hop into a book. That is Rainy March’s job as a Book Witch; go into and out of books to fix problems that arise, such as characters going rogue etc. How fun would that be!!??
This book is an enchanting TREASURE. Nancy Drew books, Reading Rainbow, Little Debbie snack cakes, and mentions of Free Little Libraries. AND the main character is nicknamed Raindrop by her Grandfather…..how could I not love this for those reasons alone?!
I am so happy my imagination went fully along with Rainy and Duke’s adventures into books. There is mystery, magic, and romance, and a whole lot of love for books.
It is a charming, delightful, cozy, FUNNY, sweet, and nostalgic book. A tear or two may have been shed, but I survived.
(11/11/25 addition: I can’t believe I forgot to mention Koshka, Rainy’s feline familiar, who can read!! How fabulous is that!?)
This isn’t my usual rambling review, I don’t want to go off on tangents and take away from how clever and fun this book was. Be prepared to laugh. A lot. And enjoy the whimsy and magic of it all.
In the real world: Kindness is Magic! So be magical 🪄 my friends!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read the digital arc of this delightful book. All thoughts are my own.
Expected publication: April 7, 2026
Rating posted: 11/9/25
Thoughts posted: 11/10/25
Small addition about Koshka: 11/11/25
Additional note, this book was already on my radar, but it was GR friend, Krickette❤️’s review that convinced me to request the book. Me being me, I still don’t know how to post a link to a review on here, but definitely check hers out!
Reposted for publication day: 4/7/26
Want to Read
July 9, 2025I have liked one book by this author (The Wishing Game) and hated another (The Lost Story) so this book will be the tiebreaker.
November 11, 2025
What a delightful and charming novel! This creatively penned novel has it all and is the perfect light hearted and young adult read. The main character, Book Witch Rainy March (so cute), is our guide, along with her cat (who serves as her “right arm”) as she unveils a world of spice, adventure, and suspense. Rainy is dedicated to saving the plots of classic literature and childhood favorites.
This is an inviting and peculiar premise, but author Meg Shaffer easily weaves a beautiful story. The book hopping starts almost immediately as Rainy March jumps into a “Romance”novel to rescue the main character, “The Duke” (the novel’s Detective who has gone missing from the plot). Book hopping is the name of the game in this cute and quaint novel. Book Witch Rainy March keeps us on our toes as she travels through different genres, saving books and characters from disappearing, all the while her own mystery begins to unfold.
The Book Witch is a story of love and adventure. The story is keenly told through the love of books. This reads as a younger adult novel and for those who enjoy fantasy stories. This adventurous novel includes all the genres, as well as, cleverly including the titles of books penned by famous authors and quotes from forever loved books.
Although this is not a genre that I generally lean towards, I am very happy I had an opportunity to read and enjoy it. The characters are all amazing and well developed, and the storylines and pacing were interesting and smooth. For this genre, I give this book 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 ⭐️s.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is an inviting and peculiar premise, but author Meg Shaffer easily weaves a beautiful story. The book hopping starts almost immediately as Rainy March jumps into a “Romance”novel to rescue the main character, “The Duke” (the novel’s Detective who has gone missing from the plot). Book hopping is the name of the game in this cute and quaint novel. Book Witch Rainy March keeps us on our toes as she travels through different genres, saving books and characters from disappearing, all the while her own mystery begins to unfold.
The Book Witch is a story of love and adventure. The story is keenly told through the love of books. This reads as a younger adult novel and for those who enjoy fantasy stories. This adventurous novel includes all the genres, as well as, cleverly including the titles of books penned by famous authors and quotes from forever loved books.
Although this is not a genre that I generally lean towards, I am very happy I had an opportunity to read and enjoy it. The characters are all amazing and well developed, and the storylines and pacing were interesting and smooth. For this genre, I give this book 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 ⭐️s.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 12, 2026
The Book Witch
is another fun, charming, delightful read from one of my favorite contemporary fantasy authors, Meg Shaffer. I read and loved both of Shaffer’s previous books (2023’s
The Wishing Game
and 2024’s
The Lost Story
), both of which were so imaginative and brilliantly crafted that, when I heard she would have a new book out, I couldn’t help wondering how she would be able to top those two wonderful works. Well, top those she did, as this newest work is not only wildly creative, but also simultaneously compelling and whimsical – storytelling at its finest, in my humble opinion.
The story revolves around a whimsically named protagonist, Rainy March, whose job as a book witch is to defend works of fiction by acting as a “fixer” – with the help of a magical umbrella and an adorable cat named Koshka, she goes on missions to save beloved stories from being negatively altered and disappearing into oblivion. Whether it’s locating and escorting a runaway protagonist back into their story so they can live their “happily ever after” (as she does with Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice ), rescuing kidnapped detectives so they can finish solving the cases that are central to an entire mystery series (which she does for the noir Duke of Chicago series) or preventing entire fictional worlds from being burned down by enemy book burners hellbent on destroying stories that don’t conform to their tastes, Rainy is good at her job, partly because of natural talent and partly because she is a strict rule-follower. That is, until she falls in love with the Duke of Chicago on one of her missions and continues to maintain a relationship with him – a decision that nearly causes her to lose her job as well as her magical powers after she is caught breaking rule number seven, which states that “real people belong in the real world and fictional characters belong in works of fiction.” But then the beloved grandfather who raised her disappears, along with a precious book that was a gift from her deceased mother, which prompts Rainy to defy all the rules and conjure up the Duke to help her solve the case and find her grandfather before it’s too late. Together, they jump in and out of famous book worlds such as The Great Gatsby and Alice in Wonderland in a race-against-time adventure that ultimately leads Rainy to uncover secrets that will change her life forever.
Structurally, this book is divided into seven parts, with each part named for a specific literary genre such as romance, mystery, fantasy, etc. – a “genre mashup” of sorts that not only correlates to the story’s actual plot points, but also reflects the book’s own impossibility of categorization into one specific genre (while, strictly speaking, I would classify this book as a fantasy, there are actually elements of multiple genres in here). In addition to the clever structure, Shaffer’s writing flows so smoothly here that the reading felt effortless, yet also captivating – I definitely could not stop turning the pages. In terms of plot and characters – well, let’s just say that Shaffer definitely did not disappoint in both areas: I loved these characters just as much as I loved the characters in her previous books, and the plot went in a direction that I absolutely did not see coming, but in a good way (this is where the “wildly creative” piece comes in – read this book and you will know what I mean).
I don’t know how Shaffer does it, but now after having read all three of her books, I am in awe of the way she is able to blend reality and fantasy elements so seamlessly into her stories. I’m usually not much of a fantasy reader, but Shaffer’s books are exceptions, as she blurs the line between the realistic and fantastic in such a way that I don’t feel like I’m reading a fantasy. This brings me to another feature of Shaffer’s books that I absolutely appreciate and love – each of her books addresses contemporary societal issues (in this instance, the recent battles over book banning being the most prominent), but she weaves these into the story so seamlessly that, in most cases, you don’t even realize she’s doing it.
My impression whenever I read one of Shaffer’s books is that she is a true book lover, as her passion for books and reading definitely shines through with each book. Both of her previous books were homages to childhood classics ( Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Chronicles of Narnia , respectively), but this newest book steps it up a notch in that it is an homage to all books – both modern and classic – as well as the act of reading in general and its power to change lives. Indeed, avid readers and book lovers will appreciate the various references to literary works and characters that Shaffer scatters throughout the story (including an Easter egg reference to her own debut novel, which I enjoyed seeing) -- though with that said, my absolutely favorite book-related reference isn’t to a fictional character, but rather, to one of my real-life book icons, LeVar Burton (and it’s obvious in the two scenes where she has LeVar make “cameo” appearances that Shaffer adores him as much as those of us who grew up watching Reading Rainbow still do).
There are so many great lines in this book (I highlighted so much that I had a hand cramp by the time I finished reading, lol), but one of my favorites is this -- “All stories are love stories when you love stories” – as it sums up the vibe of this book perfectly. Needless to say, I’m officially a Meg Shaffer fan now and my bookish heart cannot wait to read her next book (that will no doubt be book and/or reading-related). In the interim though, I definitely recommend all her books and hope more people pick them up, especially fellow book lovers and avid readers who love books about books.
Received ARC from Ballantine Books via NetGalley.
The story revolves around a whimsically named protagonist, Rainy March, whose job as a book witch is to defend works of fiction by acting as a “fixer” – with the help of a magical umbrella and an adorable cat named Koshka, she goes on missions to save beloved stories from being negatively altered and disappearing into oblivion. Whether it’s locating and escorting a runaway protagonist back into their story so they can live their “happily ever after” (as she does with Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice ), rescuing kidnapped detectives so they can finish solving the cases that are central to an entire mystery series (which she does for the noir Duke of Chicago series) or preventing entire fictional worlds from being burned down by enemy book burners hellbent on destroying stories that don’t conform to their tastes, Rainy is good at her job, partly because of natural talent and partly because she is a strict rule-follower. That is, until she falls in love with the Duke of Chicago on one of her missions and continues to maintain a relationship with him – a decision that nearly causes her to lose her job as well as her magical powers after she is caught breaking rule number seven, which states that “real people belong in the real world and fictional characters belong in works of fiction.” But then the beloved grandfather who raised her disappears, along with a precious book that was a gift from her deceased mother, which prompts Rainy to defy all the rules and conjure up the Duke to help her solve the case and find her grandfather before it’s too late. Together, they jump in and out of famous book worlds such as The Great Gatsby and Alice in Wonderland in a race-against-time adventure that ultimately leads Rainy to uncover secrets that will change her life forever.
Structurally, this book is divided into seven parts, with each part named for a specific literary genre such as romance, mystery, fantasy, etc. – a “genre mashup” of sorts that not only correlates to the story’s actual plot points, but also reflects the book’s own impossibility of categorization into one specific genre (while, strictly speaking, I would classify this book as a fantasy, there are actually elements of multiple genres in here). In addition to the clever structure, Shaffer’s writing flows so smoothly here that the reading felt effortless, yet also captivating – I definitely could not stop turning the pages. In terms of plot and characters – well, let’s just say that Shaffer definitely did not disappoint in both areas: I loved these characters just as much as I loved the characters in her previous books, and the plot went in a direction that I absolutely did not see coming, but in a good way (this is where the “wildly creative” piece comes in – read this book and you will know what I mean).
I don’t know how Shaffer does it, but now after having read all three of her books, I am in awe of the way she is able to blend reality and fantasy elements so seamlessly into her stories. I’m usually not much of a fantasy reader, but Shaffer’s books are exceptions, as she blurs the line between the realistic and fantastic in such a way that I don’t feel like I’m reading a fantasy. This brings me to another feature of Shaffer’s books that I absolutely appreciate and love – each of her books addresses contemporary societal issues (in this instance, the recent battles over book banning being the most prominent), but she weaves these into the story so seamlessly that, in most cases, you don’t even realize she’s doing it.
My impression whenever I read one of Shaffer’s books is that she is a true book lover, as her passion for books and reading definitely shines through with each book. Both of her previous books were homages to childhood classics ( Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Chronicles of Narnia , respectively), but this newest book steps it up a notch in that it is an homage to all books – both modern and classic – as well as the act of reading in general and its power to change lives. Indeed, avid readers and book lovers will appreciate the various references to literary works and characters that Shaffer scatters throughout the story (including an Easter egg reference to her own debut novel, which I enjoyed seeing) -- though with that said, my absolutely favorite book-related reference isn’t to a fictional character, but rather, to one of my real-life book icons, LeVar Burton (and it’s obvious in the two scenes where she has LeVar make “cameo” appearances that Shaffer adores him as much as those of us who grew up watching Reading Rainbow still do).
There are so many great lines in this book (I highlighted so much that I had a hand cramp by the time I finished reading, lol), but one of my favorites is this -- “All stories are love stories when you love stories” – as it sums up the vibe of this book perfectly. Needless to say, I’m officially a Meg Shaffer fan now and my bookish heart cannot wait to read her next book (that will no doubt be book and/or reading-related). In the interim though, I definitely recommend all her books and hope more people pick them up, especially fellow book lovers and avid readers who love books about books.
Received ARC from Ballantine Books via NetGalley.
November 26, 2025
REVIEW OF THE BOOK WITCH
BY MEG SCHAFFER
UNCORRECTED E-PROOF ARC-- Expected publish date: April 2026
➡️THE SETUP:
The main character, Rainy March (yes, her real name) is a 'Book Witch'. Along with her cat familiar Koshka, she is dedicated to saving books and characters from disappearing at the hands of 'Book Burners' (or rogue characters) while her own mystery begins to unfold.
This is a really unique, interesting premise, which author Meg Shaffer weaves very nicely. When a book is threatened by 'the burners', Rainy is one of many 'book witches' (usually a generational thing) who can "jump" into a novel to rescue the main character.
🧙🏼🕵🏼♂️🐈⬛CHARACTERS:
Rainy keeps us on our toes as she book-hops through different genres and times, saving “The Duke” (a fictional detective with his own series) who has gone missing from his plots. He is also to become her love interest, even though there are strict rules prohibiting book witchs from staying in a novel too long- or else they may end up stuck there forever. Also, if a fictional character leaves their book, all the pages cease to exist. Fiction and real characters cannot intermingle.... or can they??
🪄⏳📚THE WORLD & FEELS:
Their romance, in and out of several genres, is keenly told and will leave you dizzy!! The characters are all well-developed, especially Rainy. She’s the kind of protagonist you can’t help but root for. There were some deep moments and emotions because Rainy never knew her mother or father, but also feels great love for "Pops" her grandfather, and a newer, unusual romance with "the Duke of Chicago".
This adventurous novel includes all the genres, and cleverly includes books penned by famous authors and quotes from forever loved books. It’s laced with literary references and gentle nods to so many beloved authors, it's like a love letter written between lines and in the margins to readers everywhere.
❤️🔥MY THOUGHTS- PRO:
As a magical realism fan, this is a story that made me feel like I just walked into a library and was able to step into any book and be a part of it! How fun!!!
With a couple of exceptions this would have been a masterpiece of a story. The following two points are what made my rating shift from a possible 5 to a 4:
🤷🏼♀️MY THOUGHTS- CONS:
First, is all the fuss made about the opening line. If it was just said and then left to stand or not.. ok. But I felt early reviewers did an extreme amount of raving about this amazing, wonderful, fantastic opening line: “all stories are love stories if you love stories”. The author herself repeats it later as well. I may be the minority, but its nine words that I just can't agree with, and assumes everyone has the same perspective. All stories are not love stories. All stories are not even about love. Some stories are about horrific things, and dont resemble love just because its a story. For me, it was a really bad opening line, which tells us nothing about the book you’re about to read, and doesn’t set up the book at all.
The second thing that kept this from being 5 stars for me was the rushed ending. I didn’t expect that exact twist,, which was good- but it felt too rushed. I wish that part could have been a bit better explained, or a few more pages donated to it, as it felt a little convoluted. I re-read it 3 times to be sure it all fit together in my mind. I had actually misunderstood parts of it the first time through. After the build up of the whole book, the ending was good.. but not handled as well as it could have been.
⭐RATING:
All things considered, the originality of the story, its enjoyment level, I definitely would recommend it... and if you liked Nancy Drew books, The Reading Rainbow and Little Debbie snack cakes.. you'll love it. So, I'm rounding up to a 4.5. This book would easily work for a YA or NA audience, as the spice level is only 🌶️or🌶️🌶️.
🙏🏼 I received an ARC through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the author and publisher!
BY MEG SCHAFFER
UNCORRECTED E-PROOF ARC-- Expected publish date: April 2026
➡️THE SETUP:
The main character, Rainy March (yes, her real name) is a 'Book Witch'. Along with her cat familiar Koshka, she is dedicated to saving books and characters from disappearing at the hands of 'Book Burners' (or rogue characters) while her own mystery begins to unfold.
This is a really unique, interesting premise, which author Meg Shaffer weaves very nicely. When a book is threatened by 'the burners', Rainy is one of many 'book witches' (usually a generational thing) who can "jump" into a novel to rescue the main character.
🧙🏼🕵🏼♂️🐈⬛CHARACTERS:
Rainy keeps us on our toes as she book-hops through different genres and times, saving “The Duke” (a fictional detective with his own series) who has gone missing from his plots. He is also to become her love interest, even though there are strict rules prohibiting book witchs from staying in a novel too long- or else they may end up stuck there forever. Also, if a fictional character leaves their book, all the pages cease to exist. Fiction and real characters cannot intermingle.... or can they??
🪄⏳📚THE WORLD & FEELS:
Their romance, in and out of several genres, is keenly told and will leave you dizzy!! The characters are all well-developed, especially Rainy. She’s the kind of protagonist you can’t help but root for. There were some deep moments and emotions because Rainy never knew her mother or father, but also feels great love for "Pops" her grandfather, and a newer, unusual romance with "the Duke of Chicago".
This adventurous novel includes all the genres, and cleverly includes books penned by famous authors and quotes from forever loved books. It’s laced with literary references and gentle nods to so many beloved authors, it's like a love letter written between lines and in the margins to readers everywhere.
❤️🔥MY THOUGHTS- PRO:
As a magical realism fan, this is a story that made me feel like I just walked into a library and was able to step into any book and be a part of it! How fun!!!
With a couple of exceptions this would have been a masterpiece of a story. The following two points are what made my rating shift from a possible 5 to a 4:
🤷🏼♀️MY THOUGHTS- CONS:
First, is all the fuss made about the opening line. If it was just said and then left to stand or not.. ok. But I felt early reviewers did an extreme amount of raving about this amazing, wonderful, fantastic opening line: “all stories are love stories if you love stories”. The author herself repeats it later as well. I may be the minority, but its nine words that I just can't agree with, and assumes everyone has the same perspective. All stories are not love stories. All stories are not even about love. Some stories are about horrific things, and dont resemble love just because its a story. For me, it was a really bad opening line, which tells us nothing about the book you’re about to read, and doesn’t set up the book at all.
The second thing that kept this from being 5 stars for me was the rushed ending. I didn’t expect that exact twist,, which was good- but it felt too rushed. I wish that part could have been a bit better explained, or a few more pages donated to it, as it felt a little convoluted. I re-read it 3 times to be sure it all fit together in my mind. I had actually misunderstood parts of it the first time through. After the build up of the whole book, the ending was good.. but not handled as well as it could have been.
⭐RATING:
All things considered, the originality of the story, its enjoyment level, I definitely would recommend it... and if you liked Nancy Drew books, The Reading Rainbow and Little Debbie snack cakes.. you'll love it. So, I'm rounding up to a 4.5. This book would easily work for a YA or NA audience, as the spice level is only 🌶️or🌶️🌶️.
🙏🏼 I received an ARC through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the author and publisher!
April 9, 2026
✨🔮
“All stories are love stories if you love stories”
🔮✨
⤿📖09/04/26
➸3.5 stars | status: released on 7th April, 2026 💫
hi, hello and welcome back to fadhee's ranting podcast again after a month 🥰 Oh how I missed being here in this little corner, missing everyone here so much over the past month 🥺 I'm so glad to be back, and grateful to everyone who messaged and checked up on me, who prayed for our safety. Thank you so much besties, ily all so very much 🥹🫂💗 Now back to our real podcast review, here we goooo, enjoy 🤭
what to expect ☕:
🪄 book witch x duke
🪄 forbidden love
🪄 star-crossed lovers
🪄 small town
🪄 clean romance
🪄 secret coven
🪄 saving characters by going inside the books
🪄 solving mystery cases
for starters, I went into this book blindly, with little to zero expectations because I am in the worst reading slump ever due to the war situation with barely any sleep. But OMG, I wasn't expecting this book to be good as at the beginning I felt this book was a little slow, I even thought to dnf it after the first two chapters but ahhh I'm glad I sticked and continued to read it because oh boy, THAT HOT DUKE OF CHICAGO TURNED DETECTIVE MADE ME FOLD SO FAST WITH HIS CHARMING FLIRTING SKILLS!😩💘 like I was giggling and blushing whenever he opened his mouth and said something to Rainy 🙈 I wish I was a book witch like Rainy, so that I could bring my favourite MMC back in real world and marry him or just go into that book world and be with him because real world is shit now (delulu is the solulu it is 🥹👉🏻👈🏻)
secondly, I was actually surprised like really surprised to see myself enjoying this book like I used to when I was in school. I don't know if it's the writing style, but I felt it did take me back in time, like reading a book in 6th grade. Because I used to read a lot of crime novels that time and seeing Agatha Christie's work getting mentioned time and time again and also revisiting Alice in Wonderland and the Great Gatsby might also add to it. As all these titles were real and I have read them many times in school, so I was so excited that I went in google and search up "duke of chicago" and found no book series in that name. I felt that betrayal in my soul, like whyyyy would you do that to ME?😔💔 *CRYING*
lastly, I just wanted to give Rainy a big hug like my girl went through so much in the span of 2 days. The plot twists getting dropped over the last half of book was INSANE. Honestly my jaw was on the floor like really ON-THE-FLOOR. I just wish this book didn't end soon and was a bit longer with Rainy & her hot detective duke after they solved the mystery ughh 🤧
All I have to say is if you ever wished to have your favourite fictinal man in real life, or you love books about books and hot englishman who is a duke-turned-detective from the 20th century getting roped into the real world by a book witch of 21st century, then this book is for you 🙂↕️✋🏻
thank you to the Author, Ballantine Books and Netgalley for this magical ARC in exchange for an honest review 💞
⤿📖09/04/26
➸3.5 stars | status: released on 7th April, 2026 💫
hi, hello and welcome back to fadhee's ranting podcast again after a month 🥰 Oh how I missed being here in this little corner, missing everyone here so much over the past month 🥺 I'm so glad to be back, and grateful to everyone who messaged and checked up on me, who prayed for our safety. Thank you so much besties, ily all so very much 🥹🫂💗 Now back to our real podcast review, here we goooo, enjoy 🤭
what to expect ☕:
🪄 book witch x duke
🪄 forbidden love
🪄 star-crossed lovers
🪄 small town
🪄 clean romance
🪄 secret coven
🪄 saving characters by going inside the books
🪄 solving mystery cases
“That’s why I love you, Rainy March. Because when I’m with you, I’m real.”
for starters, I went into this book blindly, with little to zero expectations because I am in the worst reading slump ever due to the war situation with barely any sleep. But OMG, I wasn't expecting this book to be good as at the beginning I felt this book was a little slow, I even thought to dnf it after the first two chapters but ahhh I'm glad I sticked and continued to read it because oh boy, THAT HOT DUKE OF CHICAGO TURNED DETECTIVE MADE ME FOLD SO FAST WITH HIS CHARMING FLIRTING SKILLS!😩💘 like I was giggling and blushing whenever he opened his mouth and said something to Rainy 🙈 I wish I was a book witch like Rainy, so that I could bring my favourite MMC back in real world and marry him or just go into that book world and be with him because real world is shit now (delulu is the solulu it is 🥹👉🏻👈🏻)
“You're my favourite story.”
secondly, I was actually surprised like really surprised to see myself enjoying this book like I used to when I was in school. I don't know if it's the writing style, but I felt it did take me back in time, like reading a book in 6th grade. Because I used to read a lot of crime novels that time and seeing Agatha Christie's work getting mentioned time and time again and also revisiting Alice in Wonderland and the Great Gatsby might also add to it. As all these titles were real and I have read them many times in school, so I was so excited that I went in google and search up "duke of chicago" and found no book series in that name. I felt that betrayal in my soul, like whyyyy would you do that to ME?😔💔 *CRYING*
“Immortatlity is overrated. I'd far rather be able to grow old.”
“Really? Why?”
“If I can't grow old, I can't grow old with you.”
lastly, I just wanted to give Rainy a big hug like my girl went through so much in the span of 2 days. The plot twists getting dropped over the last half of book was INSANE. Honestly my jaw was on the floor like really ON-THE-FLOOR. I just wish this book didn't end soon and was a bit longer with Rainy & her hot detective duke after they solved the mystery ughh 🤧
All I have to say is if you ever wished to have your favourite fictinal man in real life, or you love books about books and hot englishman who is a duke-turned-detective from the 20th century getting roped into the real world by a book witch of 21st century, then this book is for you 🙂↕️✋🏻
thank you to the Author, Ballantine Books and Netgalley for this magical ARC in exchange for an honest review 💞
May 3, 2026
⭐️4.5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ebook of The Book Witch! This story truly takes you on a journey. Imagine being able to jump straight into your favorite books, not only interact with beloved characters but actually help them. It’s every reader’s dream come true. The message behind this book is such an important one 👏🏽 I absolutely adored every part of it! The coziness, the book references, the familiar, the romance, the book settings, the mysteries, the humor, the magical realism aspect and the writing all came together perfectly.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ebook of The Book Witch! This story truly takes you on a journey. Imagine being able to jump straight into your favorite books, not only interact with beloved characters but actually help them. It’s every reader’s dream come true. The message behind this book is such an important one 👏🏽 I absolutely adored every part of it! The coziness, the book references, the familiar, the romance, the book settings, the mysteries, the humor, the magical realism aspect and the writing all came together perfectly.
April 8, 2026
I was excited to read this because I really enjoyed Shaffer’s last book (“The Lost Story”). While I do prefer the aforementioned, “The Book Witch” is a super cute and fun read. The author puts her own twist on a world where some can actually enter stories. Known as Book Witches (male or female), they occasionally have to go on missions into books to save them from being erased by “Burners”, who are fanatical about destroying any books they deem unworthy.
A Book Witch has rules that must not be broken. You cannot eat, drink or sleep in a fictional world, or you risk forgetting about the real world. Also, and this is a big one, you must never fall in love with a fictional character.
And that’s exactly what main character Rainy March does—she begs to be sent into a Duke of Chicago mystery to oust a Burner, even though she’s been in love with Duke’s character since she was a teenager. When they meet in his story, sparks fly. Alas, the lovers were never meant to be, and Rainy is placed on probation in her coven and warned that she must stay out of his series, or be banned.
Then Rainy’s grandfather disappears, and someone has been in their house. She quickly realizes that she’s in over her head, and the one person she needs the most is the one she’s been forbidden to see.
I enjoyed this, and there are genuine laugh-out-loud moments. Shaffer does a fantastic job of worldbuilding, and you come to care about the characters. The mystery is especially interesting, and I loved how we got to enter classic stories to do some sleuthing.
My one complaint is that there are plot holes with the big reveal. I’ve been left with a lot of questions, and I’m ultimately feeling a little unsatisfied. This is not to say that it’s not a good book—it most certainly is! The issues with the ending just bring my rating down to 3.75 stars instead of a solid 4. I still recommend this as a quick, fun way to immerse yourself in a fascinating new world.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the eARC. All opinions are mine.
A Book Witch has rules that must not be broken. You cannot eat, drink or sleep in a fictional world, or you risk forgetting about the real world. Also, and this is a big one, you must never fall in love with a fictional character.
And that’s exactly what main character Rainy March does—she begs to be sent into a Duke of Chicago mystery to oust a Burner, even though she’s been in love with Duke’s character since she was a teenager. When they meet in his story, sparks fly. Alas, the lovers were never meant to be, and Rainy is placed on probation in her coven and warned that she must stay out of his series, or be banned.
Then Rainy’s grandfather disappears, and someone has been in their house. She quickly realizes that she’s in over her head, and the one person she needs the most is the one she’s been forbidden to see.
I enjoyed this, and there are genuine laugh-out-loud moments. Shaffer does a fantastic job of worldbuilding, and you come to care about the characters. The mystery is especially interesting, and I loved how we got to enter classic stories to do some sleuthing.
My one complaint is that there are plot holes with the big reveal. I’ve been left with a lot of questions, and I’m ultimately feeling a little unsatisfied. This is not to say that it’s not a good book—it most certainly is! The issues with the ending just bring my rating down to 3.75 stars instead of a solid 4. I still recommend this as a quick, fun way to immerse yourself in a fascinating new world.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the eARC. All opinions are mine.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Wow, what a whimsical and fun book!! The writing was beautiful and the story was so creative. I pretty much finished it in one sitting. I found myself laughing, hoping, cheering and tearing up, so many emotions felt. This book captured the beauty of stories and what it means to be a reader. It also beautifully represent the importance of books in our culture. Meg knocked it out of the park!!
Thank you to Net Galley and Ballantine Books for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Net Galley and Ballantine Books for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
December 22, 2025
This was so good and a great book for all book lovers! I absolutely loved this premise and the entire idea behind this book. This was wonderfully unique in that it was a story all about books with wonderful characters who try and save books. You know a book is amazing when it makes you want to read more books.
Rainey March is a book witch. She travels into books to save them from Burners who try and destroy stories they don't agree with. There are certain rules that a book witch has to follow such as don' fall in love with fictional characters. Rainey breaks this rule when she goes into a book to save the Duke of Chicago. Their love is forbidden and she has to give him up until Rainey finds herself involved in a real life mystery when her grandfather goes missing and her mother's book is stolen.
This book is one of my top reads of the year. I loved everything Rainey stood for and I was not expecting the book to turn out the way it did. I love it when I can be surprised by a story. This is a must read for all book lovers!!!
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
Rainey March is a book witch. She travels into books to save them from Burners who try and destroy stories they don't agree with. There are certain rules that a book witch has to follow such as don' fall in love with fictional characters. Rainey breaks this rule when she goes into a book to save the Duke of Chicago. Their love is forbidden and she has to give him up until Rainey finds herself involved in a real life mystery when her grandfather goes missing and her mother's book is stolen.
This book is one of my top reads of the year. I loved everything Rainey stood for and I was not expecting the book to turn out the way it did. I love it when I can be surprised by a story. This is a must read for all book lovers!!!
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
April 7, 2026
There are very few certainties in life, very few guarantees. But the one thing I am certain of, the one think I can guarantee, is that whatever book Meg Shaffer publishes in a given year, it will be one of my favorites. This year, it will be The Book Witch—guaranteed! If you love books, if you’ve ever fallen in love with a literary character, if you’ve ever been in awe of authors and the characters and stories they give us, if you’ve ever wanted to live in a book you’ve read, if you’ve ever mourned an author who can’t or doesn’t write books anymore, if you are not afraid to lose yourself in make believe, if you’re an author whose characters speak to you even as they live through you, you’re f you’re a reader who fully immerses yourself in the boos you read—then The Book Witch is the book for you! In all of her books, Meg Shaffer has taken me to places I’d never been, and that’s especially true for this book. This book is a wonder, as it tugs at our heartstrings, as it stirs our emotions, as it pulls us into the very real world of books and characters and stories that enhance our lives. The Book Witch is the perfect book to escape the ureal world, at least for a while, and it reminds us of all the reasons books are important, not just for ourselves, but for society and the sometimes very frightening world in which we live. “All stories are love stories if you love stories.” I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher.
May 10, 2026
"All stories are love stories when you love stories."
Rainy March stole my heart as the book witch. Rainy experiences life by jumping in and out of novels and is the true heroine of every story. Her adventures are endearing and nostalgic as she has experiences that honor classics such as Alice in Wonderland and Nancy Drew. I loved everything about this book. I was captivated and entertained by every word.
The audiobook performance by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw is expertly done and brings life to the classic characters. This is a love letter to books, readers and authors. I loved it as much as The Wishing Game and highly recommend adding this to your TBR.
Many thanks to PRH Audio for the gifted listening copy. All opinions are my own. 🎧
Rainy March stole my heart as the book witch. Rainy experiences life by jumping in and out of novels and is the true heroine of every story. Her adventures are endearing and nostalgic as she has experiences that honor classics such as Alice in Wonderland and Nancy Drew. I loved everything about this book. I was captivated and entertained by every word.
The audiobook performance by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw is expertly done and brings life to the classic characters. This is a love letter to books, readers and authors. I loved it as much as The Wishing Game and highly recommend adding this to your TBR.
Many thanks to PRH Audio for the gifted listening copy. All opinions are my own. 🎧
April 28, 2026
Meg Shaffer has crafted a love letter to both books and readers with "The Book Witch." It's a light and breezy story with a little of everything — mystery, romance, and magical realism, to name a few. It's easy to read and will be well liked by fans of her work. Part of the fun for me was spotting the many familiar titles woven into the narrative, each one painted in a light that makes the book world feel instantly warm and welcoming.
Rainy, the “book witch” at the center of it all, was instantly likable. She slips into novels to protect their stories from being altered, echoing the ultimate bookworm fantasy of stepping inside a favorite book. Shaffer makes that dream feel surprisingly real, and Rainy’s quirky charm kept the tone cozy and fun, even when the plot grew more complicated.
There is a lot happening in this book and the pacing at times felt uneven. It took me a little while to settle into the rhythm. I did enjoy it overall, but not quite as much as "The Lost Story," my favorite of Shaffer's works so far.
Read this if you love: genre blends, magical realism, books about books, and forbidden romance. Thank you to Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Meg Shaffer for an advance copy for honest review. 3.5 stars.
Rainy, the “book witch” at the center of it all, was instantly likable. She slips into novels to protect their stories from being altered, echoing the ultimate bookworm fantasy of stepping inside a favorite book. Shaffer makes that dream feel surprisingly real, and Rainy’s quirky charm kept the tone cozy and fun, even when the plot grew more complicated.
There is a lot happening in this book and the pacing at times felt uneven. It took me a little while to settle into the rhythm. I did enjoy it overall, but not quite as much as "The Lost Story," my favorite of Shaffer's works so far.
Read this if you love: genre blends, magical realism, books about books, and forbidden romance. Thank you to Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Meg Shaffer for an advance copy for honest review. 3.5 stars.
April 26, 2026
“All stories are love stories when you love stories.” That has to be one of the best sentences in literature, ever. This story is full of magic and wonder, and it’s a very easy, engaging read. While I felt the plot twist was a bit unnecessary and took away from the magic just a tad, I still thoroughly enjoyed my time with it. It’s whimsical, the characters are incredibly likable, and I can’t wait to see where Meg Shaffer goes next!
May 7, 2026
Amazing premise. Perfect execution. New favourite Shaffer book!
OBSESSED with the world building this this one. So so good.
OBSESSED with the world building this this one. So so good.
February 5, 2026
I went into The Book Witch with pretty high expectations—I loved Meg Shaffer’s previous two books, and I was excited for another whimsical, bookish adventure. While I enjoyed this one, it just didn’t stick out to me as much as her earlier work.
The premise is undeniably charming. Rainy March is a literal book witch who jumps into novels to protect stories from being altered, and honestly, that idea alone feels like a love letter to readers. I adored the magical umbrella, the cat familiar, and the concept of strict rules separating real people from fictional worlds. As a lifelong book lover, I couldn’t help but smile at the literary references and story-hopping through classic novels.
Rainy herself is quirky and likable, and her forbidden romance with the Duke of Chicago has some cute moments. The world-building is imaginative, and I appreciated the mystery surrounding her grandfather’s disappearance. That said, I never fully connected with the emotional core of the story, and parts of the plot felt a bit predictable. It also leaned more whimsical and middle-grade in tone than I expected, which made it harder for me to stay deeply invested.
Overall, this was a fun, cozy read with a creative concept—but compared to Shaffer’s previous books, it didn’t quite leave the same lasting impression. Still enjoyable, just not a standout for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The premise is undeniably charming. Rainy March is a literal book witch who jumps into novels to protect stories from being altered, and honestly, that idea alone feels like a love letter to readers. I adored the magical umbrella, the cat familiar, and the concept of strict rules separating real people from fictional worlds. As a lifelong book lover, I couldn’t help but smile at the literary references and story-hopping through classic novels.
Rainy herself is quirky and likable, and her forbidden romance with the Duke of Chicago has some cute moments. The world-building is imaginative, and I appreciated the mystery surrounding her grandfather’s disappearance. That said, I never fully connected with the emotional core of the story, and parts of the plot felt a bit predictable. It also leaned more whimsical and middle-grade in tone than I expected, which made it harder for me to stay deeply invested.
Overall, this was a fun, cozy read with a creative concept—but compared to Shaffer’s previous books, it didn’t quite leave the same lasting impression. Still enjoyable, just not a standout for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 4, 2026
Thank you so much, Ballantine | Ballantine Books, for sending me this ARC. I fell in love with Meg Shaffer's writing after reading her debut novel, The Wishing Game. I am living my book dreams.
"All stories are love stories when you love stories."
What to Expect:
✨ Magical realism
✨ "Witches"
✨ Forbidden romance
✨ Mystery
'Book witches live by a strict Real people belong in the real world; fictional characters belong in works of fiction…. Do not eat, drink, or sleep inside a fictional world, lest you become part of the story. Falling in love with a fictional character? Don’t even think about it.'
Magical, funny, and surprising! This was such a unique book, and I love its originality. The writing is engaging and witty. The concept behind the magic and role of a bookwitch was my favorite part. I personally loved the characters!
Overall, a solid read. 4 stars!
Publication Date: April 07, 2026
As always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤💫
"All stories are love stories when you love stories."
What to Expect:
✨ Magical realism
✨ "Witches"
✨ Forbidden romance
✨ Mystery
'Book witches live by a strict Real people belong in the real world; fictional characters belong in works of fiction…. Do not eat, drink, or sleep inside a fictional world, lest you become part of the story. Falling in love with a fictional character? Don’t even think about it.'
Magical, funny, and surprising! This was such a unique book, and I love its originality. The writing is engaging and witty. The concept behind the magic and role of a bookwitch was my favorite part. I personally loved the characters!
Overall, a solid read. 4 stars!
Publication Date: April 07, 2026
As always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤💫
October 14, 2025
This is beyond amazing. I laughed out loud and cried real genuine tears. I didn’t want to leave Rainy March, the Duke, or Koshka behind. “All stories are love stories when you love stories.” Best line ever!!!
May 10, 2026
What a delightful book
October 20, 2025
Thanks NetGally for the ARC!
I have devoured all of Meg’s books- including this one. The opening paragraph hooked me and it never let up. The story is so original, and very meta for people who love books.
All of the hopping in and out of stories (and the rules to follow while in stories) felt a lot like time travel, and I’m a sucker for a time travel book.
At first I thought Rainy and Duke’s relationship was going to be the main focus of the book, but Rainy’s self-discovery journey took center stage. It was very sweet, and I even got a little teary eyed at one point.
So magical, and such a pleasure to read!
I have devoured all of Meg’s books- including this one. The opening paragraph hooked me and it never let up. The story is so original, and very meta for people who love books.
All of the hopping in and out of stories (and the rules to follow while in stories) felt a lot like time travel, and I’m a sucker for a time travel book.
At first I thought Rainy and Duke’s relationship was going to be the main focus of the book, but Rainy’s self-discovery journey took center stage. It was very sweet, and I even got a little teary eyed at one point.
So magical, and such a pleasure to read!
May 7, 2026
Meg Shaffer has always wrote books about books and book lovers. This is a tribute to anyone who got lost in a story and wished the fictional characters were real! I loved this. Cute cozy mystery. Loved the concept of being a Book Witch and that plot twist was unexpected. I’m never disappointed by her work, can’t wait to devour the next one.
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