What do you think?
Rate this book
Win a free print copy of this book!
2 days and 02:25:38
25 copies available
U.S. only
Everyday Magic #1
Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous
Win a free print copy of this book!
2 days and 02:25:38
25 copies available
U.S. only
STARDEW VALLEY meets STUDIO GHIBLI in a charming cozy fantasy about healing, redemption, and the subtle magic of simple living. Perfect for fans of Can't Spell Treason Without Tea and The Spellshop. Welcome home, weary traveler.
When Oaklin Nettlewood accidentally joined an evil world-ending cult, mind control magic forced them to do unspeakable things. Years later, the realm's heroes have finally saved the day, defeated the villain, and shattered the last remnants of the spell...leaving destruction in their wake. And so, with a spell-damaged memory and whole bushel of trauma, Oaklin escapes to a small farm on the edge of Mossley's Rest and swears an oath: After all the things they were forced to do with their magic, they will never use it again. Ever.
The no-nonsense ghost granny who lives in Oaklin's house has other ideas. As she coaxes Oaklin out of their shell and back into the world, they find companionship (a grumpy horse and a very good dog), friendship (a local bard and magical baker who should just kiss already), and tentative romance (a paladin-librarian who makes Oaklin's heart come alive for the first time in ages.) Magic even seems possible again―though strictly for foraging magical mushrooms and protecting the farm from bugs.
Healing comes in gentle waves, and Oaklin doesn't have to do it alone. So what does it mean when an inquisitor comes to town to hunt former cultists just as Oaklin begins to think that maybe, just maybe, they deserve a happy ending after all?
When Oaklin Nettlewood accidentally joined an evil world-ending cult, mind control magic forced them to do unspeakable things. Years later, the realm's heroes have finally saved the day, defeated the villain, and shattered the last remnants of the spell...leaving destruction in their wake. And so, with a spell-damaged memory and whole bushel of trauma, Oaklin escapes to a small farm on the edge of Mossley's Rest and swears an oath: After all the things they were forced to do with their magic, they will never use it again. Ever.
The no-nonsense ghost granny who lives in Oaklin's house has other ideas. As she coaxes Oaklin out of their shell and back into the world, they find companionship (a grumpy horse and a very good dog), friendship (a local bard and magical baker who should just kiss already), and tentative romance (a paladin-librarian who makes Oaklin's heart come alive for the first time in ages.) Magic even seems possible again―though strictly for foraging magical mushrooms and protecting the farm from bugs.
Healing comes in gentle waves, and Oaklin doesn't have to do it alone. So what does it mean when an inquisitor comes to town to hunt former cultists just as Oaklin begins to think that maybe, just maybe, they deserve a happy ending after all?
368 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 539 reviews
Did Not Finish
May 26, 2026dnf @ 34%.
you know when a book looks perfect on paper, but then you start reading and realize you’d literally rather be doing anything else? yeah…
i’ll admit i’m not always in the mood for cozy fantasy, but the slow pace here was not even the issue (ok, maybe a little bit). to be honest, i just didn’t care.
the characters were uninteresting, and the dialogue felt immature and started to annoy me. and the use of the exclamation marks was so irritating. it was everywhere!!! for a while, i thought the ghost lady would be grumpy and fun, but she turned out to be just as boring.
compared to other cozy books I’ve read recently, the writing here just fell flat.
⬫ ⬪ ⬫
Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the arc!
you know when a book looks perfect on paper, but then you start reading and realize you’d literally rather be doing anything else? yeah…
i’ll admit i’m not always in the mood for cozy fantasy, but the slow pace here was not even the issue (ok, maybe a little bit). to be honest, i just didn’t care.
the characters were uninteresting, and the dialogue felt immature and started to annoy me. and the use of the exclamation marks was so irritating. it was everywhere!!! for a while, i thought the ghost lady would be grumpy and fun, but she turned out to be just as boring.
compared to other cozy books I’ve read recently, the writing here just fell flat.
⬫ ⬪ ⬫
Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC
The entire premise is chef’s kiss: former villain attempting to exist peacefully without committing crimes, and discovering the power of ✨️community✨️
There's no lone-wolf brooding nonsense. Instead, we have this gentle exploration of healing through other people that's executed so well. Watching the protagonist stumble through normal social interactions after a lifetime of villainy is peak entertainment. They’re awkward and every conversation's like, “hello fellow humans, I definitely know how friendships work and have never orchestrated mass destruction.”
And the COMMUNITY. Oh my god.
Love the found-family vibes! Everyone's just collectively like “yes, you were terrifying, but have you considered soup and emotional support?” It’s cosy in a warm, slice-of-life way where the stakes are emotional instead of apocalyptic.
It’s so heartwarming to see how much the story leans into forgiveness and belonging. The overarching theme is people aren't meant to heal on their own.
BUT (because there is always a but) sometimes the pacing goes a bit too quick. I’d be settling into a lovely emotional moment and the narrative would be like ANYWAY MOVING ON.
I wanted a few scenes to linger longer. Let me bask in the cosiness and the heartwarming community goodness.
The entire premise is chef’s kiss: former villain attempting to exist peacefully without committing crimes, and discovering the power of ✨️community✨️
There's no lone-wolf brooding nonsense. Instead, we have this gentle exploration of healing through other people that's executed so well. Watching the protagonist stumble through normal social interactions after a lifetime of villainy is peak entertainment. They’re awkward and every conversation's like, “hello fellow humans, I definitely know how friendships work and have never orchestrated mass destruction.”
And the COMMUNITY. Oh my god.
Love the found-family vibes! Everyone's just collectively like “yes, you were terrifying, but have you considered soup and emotional support?” It’s cosy in a warm, slice-of-life way where the stakes are emotional instead of apocalyptic.
It’s so heartwarming to see how much the story leans into forgiveness and belonging. The overarching theme is people aren't meant to heal on their own.
BUT (because there is always a but) sometimes the pacing goes a bit too quick. I’d be settling into a lovely emotional moment and the narrative would be like ANYWAY MOVING ON.
I wanted a few scenes to linger longer. Let me bask in the cosiness and the heartwarming community goodness.
June 2, 2026
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.
____________
If this wasn't at least in part inspired by Stardew Valley or other cozy, farming sim games, I will eat my hat. I can imagine this book so so so clearly as a cozy farming sim game, with an amazing art style and cast of characters. That's really what this felt like to me: a really immersive, beautiful world with great writing and descriptions that made you almost able to taste or smell what was being written on the page.
ADORED how supportive and inclusive this world feels, we have a nonbinary MC which was amazing, and a plethora of diverse side characters. It was absolutely the right amount of cozy to plot ratio that kept me interested and reading on, rather than there being no plot developments at all.
My least favourite part was the romance, which I was just generally uninterested in, but it was by no means egregious or off-putting from the rest of the story. There were some characters that were introduced fairly late in the game that had plot significance, so their characters did not feel as well developed or thought through as some of the earlier ones-and I wish there had been more focus on the main friend group rather than just the blossoming romance between our MC and their love interest.
PUBLICATION DATE: JUNE 02 2026
____________
If this wasn't at least in part inspired by Stardew Valley or other cozy, farming sim games, I will eat my hat. I can imagine this book so so so clearly as a cozy farming sim game, with an amazing art style and cast of characters. That's really what this felt like to me: a really immersive, beautiful world with great writing and descriptions that made you almost able to taste or smell what was being written on the page.
ADORED how supportive and inclusive this world feels, we have a nonbinary MC which was amazing, and a plethora of diverse side characters. It was absolutely the right amount of cozy to plot ratio that kept me interested and reading on, rather than there being no plot developments at all.
My least favourite part was the romance, which I was just generally uninterested in, but it was by no means egregious or off-putting from the rest of the story. There were some characters that were introduced fairly late in the game that had plot significance, so their characters did not feel as well developed or thought through as some of the earlier ones-and I wish there had been more focus on the main friend group rather than just the blossoming romance between our MC and their love interest.
PUBLICATION DATE: JUNE 02 2026
May 18, 2026
4.5 stars
Review of arc for NetGalley
A cozy and relaxing read with well-written characters, interesting worldbuilding, and vivid descriptions. I loved reading this book and I savored it for as long as I could reading a chapter here and there whenever I was having a bad day. My favorite parts were the gardening scenes and how Oaklin used their magic to connect with the plants and earth.
I was delighted to get nonbinary representation in Oaklin, who was a very enjoyable main character, plus there was a sweet sapphic romance with the love interest who was a well-developed character, and good supporting characters which, of course, includes the ghost haunting Oaklin’s farm.
Oaklin’s trauma and path to healing after escaping the mind-controlling cult were well written and the heavy memories and emotions were evenly dispersed with peaceful, comforting scenes of nature, friendship, and slightly awkward flirting.
This book definitely reminded me a little of Stardew Valley which was great because around the time I got approved for an arc, I’d been thinking I wanted to read a book that reminded me of Stardew. I’m definitely going to read more of this author’s books.
Review of arc for NetGalley
A cozy and relaxing read with well-written characters, interesting worldbuilding, and vivid descriptions. I loved reading this book and I savored it for as long as I could reading a chapter here and there whenever I was having a bad day. My favorite parts were the gardening scenes and how Oaklin used their magic to connect with the plants and earth.
I was delighted to get nonbinary representation in Oaklin, who was a very enjoyable main character, plus there was a sweet sapphic romance with the love interest who was a well-developed character, and good supporting characters which, of course, includes the ghost haunting Oaklin’s farm.
Oaklin’s trauma and path to healing after escaping the mind-controlling cult were well written and the heavy memories and emotions were evenly dispersed with peaceful, comforting scenes of nature, friendship, and slightly awkward flirting.
This book definitely reminded me a little of Stardew Valley which was great because around the time I got approved for an arc, I’d been thinking I wanted to read a book that reminded me of Stardew. I’m definitely going to read more of this author’s books.
June 2, 2026
Delighted to announce that Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous -- released today, yes I got an ARC, no that wasn't enough of a big deal to sway my feelings -- does comfortably merit the 'Stardew meets Ghibli' comparison. (Yes, I have a bee in my bonnet about comps which oversell the poor overshadowed book.)
Especially on the Stardew side, as there are little quests for our new-to-town farm owner to 'go to the bakery', 'learn about farming' etc. On the Ghibli side, there's a fairly full-on backstory (Formerly Villainous) which I did like and thought the character development was done well. Bonus points for a nonbinary MC, fully queernorm world, and charming side characters.
Not necessarily life-changing, but for me definitely up there in the 'cosy fantasies I really rate' list. Recommended in particular to anyone who's wanted a Stardew Valley book but doesn't want to fanfic it. Note: I would class this as a Serious Cosy, since the former villainy is not light content, nor is it handled frivolously. There's some thoughtful trauma recovery here, and that takes time.
Rating: 15/20
This review is based upon a complimentary advance reading copy provided by the publisher.
Especially on the Stardew side, as there are little quests for our new-to-town farm owner to 'go to the bakery', 'learn about farming' etc. On the Ghibli side, there's a fairly full-on backstory (Formerly Villainous) which I did like and thought the character development was done well. Bonus points for a nonbinary MC, fully queernorm world, and charming side characters.
Not necessarily life-changing, but for me definitely up there in the 'cosy fantasies I really rate' list. Recommended in particular to anyone who's wanted a Stardew Valley book but doesn't want to fanfic it. Note: I would class this as a Serious Cosy, since the former villainy is not light content, nor is it handled frivolously. There's some thoughtful trauma recovery here, and that takes time.
Rating: 15/20
This review is based upon a complimentary advance reading copy provided by the publisher.
June 17, 2026
Nope, nope AND NOPE! This book is boring & just not for me! I had no connection to the characters or the story & it makes me sad because this book gets 5⭐️ for its adorable sprayed edges & cute cover. I wish the story held up its end of the bargain!
May 30, 2026
Today is #review day!🥰
From me, #fieldguidefortheformerlyvillainous by Autumn K England gets 4⭐! 🥳
First of all, I want to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for a honest review!
General info: a cozy adult fantasy focused on healing, redemption and the beauty of simple living, with a romantic subplot; a story set in a queer-normative world with a non-binary MC, perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli and Stardew Valley ( or any other farming game you play for comfort and relaxation) 🥰; a story about forgiving yourself, and accepting the kindness offered to you.☺️
CW: panic attacks, PTSD, grief, death, mentions of war
BOOK THOUGHTS
This was such a breath of fresh air!😄
I don't know exactly what I was expecting from this #book, but the author surprised me in such a good way!🥹
As I said in the general info section, this is heavily focused on a well-constructed redemption arc accompanied by a touching healing journey for our MC, Oaklin Nettlewood.
You could say the author used them to impart a beautiful message : everyone deserves kindness, a second chance and a place to heal. 😌🤌
This story follows Oaklin as they just bought a suspiciously cheap farm on the outskirts of Mossley's Rest, a quiet and very charming village. They are there to start a new life, and maybe, find peace from their horrible past.🥲
I highly enjoyed my time reading this, and despite a couple of flaws I'll talk about in a second, this title is perfect for fans of cozy fantasies meant for a relaxing, somewhat nostalgic time. Those of you liking you stories with a very defined plot, should know that this isn't one. We have a plot, but it's not some urgent threat to the world, but something more akin to taking a walk in the forest and seeing where that leads you!☺️ No rush, just quiet contemplation and permission to breath.😌
Why 4 stars? I had 2 issues : one - I'm not someone that really enjoys simple plots with quick and very neat solutions. I definitely need a full-on confrontation with whatever plagues our characters so I can be satisfied that they journey is complete.🤷♀️; two - right at the beginning, we have 2 minor instances of MC knowing information that they shouldn't.😅 ( I believe this can be easily overlooked by the majority of readers. I'm just extra attentive for gaps in logic and the actions of characters🫣)
Back to the positives! ☺️
The character development and journey for our protagonist was really well executed! 🥹 Oaklin was presented from the 1st moment as extremely anxious, suffering from PTSD, extremely shy and an over-thinker.🫣
They're naïve in many aspects ( see here their past choices), but they're kind and compassionate; They tend to second-guess themselves and are always ending up to the conclusion that they were in the wrong, that they deserve less or that they shouldn't take up space in the world.🥲
You quickly feel sympathetic to them and start cheering as soon as they make a step in the right direction!☺️
A big help with that, and another amazing character, is ghost granny!😆 She's awesome!😤…probably my favourite character from this book!☺️
I loved how beautiful her bond with Oaklin grew! It was natural and layered, slow but meaningful, and when the ending came..🥹…I cried!😭
She's also a veritable source of comfort, knowledge and compassion for the MC. I really, REALLY appreciate the role she played, and even if it was obvious for me who she was, I still felt connected to her and Oaklin 's friendship.
Side note: I want to quickly mention that the farm was almost another character!🤌 The vibe of it, the description, the time there between our characters and all the farming knowledge imparted with us… Beautiful!😇 ( in the farm character I also consider Daffodil and Grumpy Horse😤, just to be clear🤭😉)
Back to business…
The romantic subplots in this story are very charming and have a quiet beauty! ☺️ We have a fretting mess and a constant sunshine 👀… And I'll live it at that🤭.
All the other perspectives are done just right for our story here! From Ryn the bread mage, to Jules the bard, Lior the paladin and Sister Talla…even Grer and the mushroom guy 😂…all of them serve to create the atmosphere of the novel, to nudge our MC in the path to healing with their kindness and respect of boundaries, and to add to a beautiful, magical world you'd want to live in.🥹 🫶
Plot: as I said…the plot is not overly present…this isn't that type of book. But!...we do have a looming fear hanging over Oaklin's head, some mysteries and the whole 'oh no! They'll find out who I am and what I did' thing🤷♀️…so I believe you'll be satisfied.
Themes: this book is charming, and friendly; a warm hug whispering to you the importance of therapy, finding strength in yourself to move on, accepting trauma and processing it safely among people who respect you and your boundaries. It's about the human need for connection of any kind ( friendship, love, community and with nature).
World Building : This book has a solid world building.☺️ We get a perfect amount of information on not only the history and customs of Mossley's Rest, but how that shaped its people!😆 We get some history of the setting and of the recent events in the world, we get descriptions, how the village is configured, we get religion and local government 🥳 ( loved this for needs like me who really want to understand how these people decide to live and what laws, unspoken rules they follow), we get celebrations and economy 🤭. You get the idea🧐…it feels like a real place you can visit!☺️ ( I very much do!🙋♀️ I'd love to plant tomatoes with Oaklin 😆)
Before I forget!😁 The magic is surprisingly complex for this kind of narrative!👀 I really enjoyed all the instances when it's used and loved the creative way in which is inserted into the village's life.☺️
I'd 100% eat a cake I fused with some confidence boost.😁
That's it…in conclusion, I highly recommend you #read this if you enjoy cozy fantasy with romance, stories talking about trauma, grief and how to move on, and don't really care about overly complex stories with twists and turns…if you're here for a feel good ride, a beautiful story between heavy books, I think you'd love this!
P.S. If you love farming, this book is for you!^^
From me, #fieldguidefortheformerlyvillainous by Autumn K England gets 4⭐! 🥳
First of all, I want to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for a honest review!
General info: a cozy adult fantasy focused on healing, redemption and the beauty of simple living, with a romantic subplot; a story set in a queer-normative world with a non-binary MC, perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli and Stardew Valley ( or any other farming game you play for comfort and relaxation) 🥰; a story about forgiving yourself, and accepting the kindness offered to you.☺️
CW: panic attacks, PTSD, grief, death, mentions of war
BOOK THOUGHTS
This was such a breath of fresh air!😄
I don't know exactly what I was expecting from this #book, but the author surprised me in such a good way!🥹
As I said in the general info section, this is heavily focused on a well-constructed redemption arc accompanied by a touching healing journey for our MC, Oaklin Nettlewood.
You could say the author used them to impart a beautiful message : everyone deserves kindness, a second chance and a place to heal. 😌🤌
This story follows Oaklin as they just bought a suspiciously cheap farm on the outskirts of Mossley's Rest, a quiet and very charming village. They are there to start a new life, and maybe, find peace from their horrible past.🥲
I highly enjoyed my time reading this, and despite a couple of flaws I'll talk about in a second, this title is perfect for fans of cozy fantasies meant for a relaxing, somewhat nostalgic time. Those of you liking you stories with a very defined plot, should know that this isn't one. We have a plot, but it's not some urgent threat to the world, but something more akin to taking a walk in the forest and seeing where that leads you!☺️ No rush, just quiet contemplation and permission to breath.😌
Why 4 stars? I had 2 issues : one - I'm not someone that really enjoys simple plots with quick and very neat solutions. I definitely need a full-on confrontation with whatever plagues our characters so I can be satisfied that they journey is complete.🤷♀️; two - right at the beginning, we have 2 minor instances of MC knowing information that they shouldn't.😅 ( I believe this can be easily overlooked by the majority of readers. I'm just extra attentive for gaps in logic and the actions of characters🫣)
Back to the positives! ☺️
The character development and journey for our protagonist was really well executed! 🥹 Oaklin was presented from the 1st moment as extremely anxious, suffering from PTSD, extremely shy and an over-thinker.🫣
They're naïve in many aspects ( see here their past choices), but they're kind and compassionate; They tend to second-guess themselves and are always ending up to the conclusion that they were in the wrong, that they deserve less or that they shouldn't take up space in the world.🥲
You quickly feel sympathetic to them and start cheering as soon as they make a step in the right direction!☺️
A big help with that, and another amazing character, is ghost granny!😆 She's awesome!😤…probably my favourite character from this book!☺️
I loved how beautiful her bond with Oaklin grew! It was natural and layered, slow but meaningful, and when the ending came..🥹…I cried!😭
She's also a veritable source of comfort, knowledge and compassion for the MC. I really, REALLY appreciate the role she played, and even if it was obvious for me who she was, I still felt connected to her and Oaklin 's friendship.
Side note: I want to quickly mention that the farm was almost another character!🤌 The vibe of it, the description, the time there between our characters and all the farming knowledge imparted with us… Beautiful!😇 ( in the farm character I also consider Daffodil and Grumpy Horse😤, just to be clear🤭😉)
Back to business…
The romantic subplots in this story are very charming and have a quiet beauty! ☺️ We have a fretting mess and a constant sunshine 👀… And I'll live it at that🤭.
All the other perspectives are done just right for our story here! From Ryn the bread mage, to Jules the bard, Lior the paladin and Sister Talla…even Grer and the mushroom guy 😂…all of them serve to create the atmosphere of the novel, to nudge our MC in the path to healing with their kindness and respect of boundaries, and to add to a beautiful, magical world you'd want to live in.🥹 🫶
Plot: as I said…the plot is not overly present…this isn't that type of book. But!...we do have a looming fear hanging over Oaklin's head, some mysteries and the whole 'oh no! They'll find out who I am and what I did' thing🤷♀️…so I believe you'll be satisfied.
Themes: this book is charming, and friendly; a warm hug whispering to you the importance of therapy, finding strength in yourself to move on, accepting trauma and processing it safely among people who respect you and your boundaries. It's about the human need for connection of any kind ( friendship, love, community and with nature).
World Building : This book has a solid world building.☺️ We get a perfect amount of information on not only the history and customs of Mossley's Rest, but how that shaped its people!😆 We get some history of the setting and of the recent events in the world, we get descriptions, how the village is configured, we get religion and local government 🥳 ( loved this for needs like me who really want to understand how these people decide to live and what laws, unspoken rules they follow), we get celebrations and economy 🤭. You get the idea🧐…it feels like a real place you can visit!☺️ ( I very much do!🙋♀️ I'd love to plant tomatoes with Oaklin 😆)
Before I forget!😁 The magic is surprisingly complex for this kind of narrative!👀 I really enjoyed all the instances when it's used and loved the creative way in which is inserted into the village's life.☺️
I'd 100% eat a cake I fused with some confidence boost.😁
That's it…in conclusion, I highly recommend you #read this if you enjoy cozy fantasy with romance, stories talking about trauma, grief and how to move on, and don't really care about overly complex stories with twists and turns…if you're here for a feel good ride, a beautiful story between heavy books, I think you'd love this!
P.S. If you love farming, this book is for you!^^
June 8, 2026
So this is cozy fantasy!
March 7, 2026
3.5 rounded down. A couple things were personally a miss for me, for some reason I just couldn’t connect with the antagonist. I also went into this expect a super chill cozy vibe read and while it has cozy elements it also has some really deep themes running thru it (main character is working thru some trauma) so kind cozy adjacent. I absolutely love the representation and the small town FOUND Family, it felt so real warm and welcoming. The writing style was also super enjoyable! Thanks Netgalley the author and the publisher for this arc!
June 14, 2026
The coziness, vibes, healing arc, farm stuff, animal stuff, food stuff, all impeccable. Oaklin and Granny were great characters. Unfortunately, I thought all the other characters were a bit thin, and the dialogue often suffers from being pretty obvious and too straightforward, which is not how people talk, even in cozy fantasy. I would have given it five stars with more fleshed out side characters, and better dialogue. But overall, a really good cozy fantasy that deals with recovery from trauma.
June 19, 2026
I finished the book last night and then spent the next hour or so puzzling it over in my brain as I fell asleep trying to figure out why it didn’t work for me. The more that I thought about it, the more it started to dissolve, and in the end, it left what I think is a rather icky residue. See, the thing about fantasy is that the trappings can be made up, magic can exist, but the heart of the story needs to be real or else there’s no reason for the story to be told, and in this book the emotional core IS the fantasy. And I find that so disturbing, to the point that I’m dropping this down from a rounded up 2.5 (read 3 because I felt bad-it’s so very very ernest) to 1. Let me explain.
Oaklin is a cult survivor, they spent the past few years under the spell of the evil Enchantrix. A spell that put them fully under her control, and the book is ostensibly about the recovery of trauma from that loss of control. I think what the author intended here was the transference of this trauma recovery to real life, many people deal with domineering and abusive partners (or escape from cults) and thus the recovery story could healing for those people. However, Oaklin was under control to the point where their actions were not their own, in other words you have all the trauma of doing awful things, but none of the responsibility. In fact, there are multiple characters who say “It wasn’t your fault” when Oaklin reveals the memory they have OF MURDERING SOMEONE. In non-fantastical settings even when someone is under the influence of a cult, for example Allison Mack and Nexium, the actions they take while under that influence are still their responsibility. Oaklin is not held accountable in any way, they can’t be, because the things they did were quite literally not their fault. And that’s the ickiness I was left with, all the uwu sadness of being a poor victim who did horrible things, but none of the rough parts of actually dealing with the consequences. You get the good feelings of healing, but none of the hard parts of dealing with the bad things you did that caused part of your trauma.
This is the fantasy, that you can have all the sweet feelings of forgiveness and acceptance without actually dealing with the hurt you caused. And that is the ugly bits underlying the book that made me wince through it, and undercut any moment that should have had emotional weight. That emotional weight can't be there when Oaklin declares their love or finds acceptance with their friends or , because the whole thing is just built a fantastical lie.
Once I realized this, I immediately jumped to another popular example of this “I did bad things, but they weren’t my fault” type of blorbo that fandom loves (and oh my god, this book is so very, VERY fandom), which is Bucky Barnes in the MCU. The thing is, I do think Bucky is done a bit better, I think that while he isn’t held accountable by society, he acknowledges that he is still responsible for what he did while mind controlled. That said, I could be wrong, Bucky has never been a favorite character and I don't pay super close attention. Anyway, making the connection there made me realize this book is basically a gender screwy (not flipped because Oaklin is non-binary) Steve/Bucky AU fanfic and now I can’t unsee it.
There are other problems with the book. The dialogue is painful, real people don’t talk like that. The characters, aside from Oaklin, are underdeveloped. I’m not sure the author has ever actually been near a farm, let alone worked on one, and that lack of knowledge shows. This romanticization of rural life/small towns life is a trope of cozy fantasy though so I’m mostly willing to let it slide – still bugs me though.
There is a part of me that feels bad for being so critical, but at the same time I think there’s something very rotten underneath the sweetness of this book and I need to exhume it.
Oaklin is a cult survivor, they spent the past few years under the spell of the evil Enchantrix. A spell that put them fully under her control, and the book is ostensibly about the recovery of trauma from that loss of control. I think what the author intended here was the transference of this trauma recovery to real life, many people deal with domineering and abusive partners (or escape from cults) and thus the recovery story could healing for those people. However, Oaklin was under control to the point where their actions were not their own, in other words you have all the trauma of doing awful things, but none of the responsibility. In fact, there are multiple characters who say “It wasn’t your fault” when Oaklin reveals the memory they have OF MURDERING SOMEONE. In non-fantastical settings even when someone is under the influence of a cult, for example Allison Mack and Nexium, the actions they take while under that influence are still their responsibility. Oaklin is not held accountable in any way, they can’t be, because the things they did were quite literally not their fault. And that’s the ickiness I was left with, all the uwu sadness of being a poor victim who did horrible things, but none of the rough parts of actually dealing with the consequences. You get the good feelings of healing, but none of the hard parts of dealing with the bad things you did that caused part of your trauma.
This is the fantasy, that you can have all the sweet feelings of forgiveness and acceptance without actually dealing with the hurt you caused. And that is the ugly bits underlying the book that made me wince through it, and undercut any moment that should have had emotional weight. That emotional weight can't be there when Oaklin declares their love or finds acceptance with their friends or , because the whole thing is just built a fantastical lie.
Once I realized this, I immediately jumped to another popular example of this “I did bad things, but they weren’t my fault” type of blorbo that fandom loves (and oh my god, this book is so very, VERY fandom), which is Bucky Barnes in the MCU. The thing is, I do think Bucky is done a bit better, I think that while he isn’t held accountable by society, he acknowledges that he is still responsible for what he did while mind controlled. That said, I could be wrong, Bucky has never been a favorite character and I don't pay super close attention. Anyway, making the connection there made me realize this book is basically a gender screwy (not flipped because Oaklin is non-binary) Steve/Bucky AU fanfic and now I can’t unsee it.
There are other problems with the book. The dialogue is painful, real people don’t talk like that. The characters, aside from Oaklin, are underdeveloped. I’m not sure the author has ever actually been near a farm, let alone worked on one, and that lack of knowledge shows. This romanticization of rural life/small towns life is a trope of cozy fantasy though so I’m mostly willing to let it slide – still bugs me though.
There is a part of me that feels bad for being so critical, but at the same time I think there’s something very rotten underneath the sweetness of this book and I need to exhume it.
May 26, 2026
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.
As warm as a cup of tea and as sweet as a blueberry scone, Field Guide to the Formerly Villainous is a delight.
Despite not getting an evil necromancer (who mends their ways) but a rather anxious young plant mage, I was not at all disappointed - this book is delightful. As someone who has a love of gardening, this book totally worked for me, as did the small-town factor, the ghost mentor, the love story, the friends, the queer normativity, and the worldbuilding, which was light but adequate for the storyline and premise. The world felt larger than what we saw, which, to me, is successful in this sort of story. You don’t want too much worldbuilding or it loses its coziness, but too little and it feels flat.
There was actually more about farming than I expected too, though it’s not an excessive amount. There are also descriptions of great food and a library. The prose falls on the colloquial at times, but it was never too much that it drew me out of the fantasy setting.
Oaklin is very likable. They are a traumatized, rather frightful person at the start, but they grow into themselves. And while they do things that are sometimes frustrating - out of fear - it never feels belaboured or excessive. They are also young - like early 20s - so that immaturity also makes sense. If they were my age, I’d be like, what the hell are you doing, but Oaklin also always owns up to it and there’s never the annoying miscommunication trope. It felt like a younger person learning how to adult.
The other side characters are such fun. There’s the baker and bard, who may or may not have a thing going on, a bunch of townsfolk who add to the quaint factor, and Lior, of course, a paladin librarian. I loved how Oaklin is first drawn to her because of her muscled arms, something that never gets enough attention on a woman. She also had her own minor arc, which fleshed her out and didn’t leave her feeling like “just the love interest”. The love story takes up a bit of the plot but doesn’t drag it into a romance with a capital R. It’s closed-door too.
The plot itself was well-balanced. While it is definitely not a plot-heavy book, Oaklin does have things they are wrestling with, and there is an overarching external threat to add some tension. Most of the book, though, is Oaklin learning to deal with their trauma and regain self-worth.
It’s cozy but not slow, charming, sweet, and I had a great time reading it. If you love cozy queer books with a bit of magic and small-town quaintness, you’ll really enjoy this. I thought it was delightful.
As warm as a cup of tea and as sweet as a blueberry scone, Field Guide to the Formerly Villainous is a delight.
Despite not getting an evil necromancer (who mends their ways) but a rather anxious young plant mage, I was not at all disappointed - this book is delightful. As someone who has a love of gardening, this book totally worked for me, as did the small-town factor, the ghost mentor, the love story, the friends, the queer normativity, and the worldbuilding, which was light but adequate for the storyline and premise. The world felt larger than what we saw, which, to me, is successful in this sort of story. You don’t want too much worldbuilding or it loses its coziness, but too little and it feels flat.
There was actually more about farming than I expected too, though it’s not an excessive amount. There are also descriptions of great food and a library. The prose falls on the colloquial at times, but it was never too much that it drew me out of the fantasy setting.
Oaklin is very likable. They are a traumatized, rather frightful person at the start, but they grow into themselves. And while they do things that are sometimes frustrating - out of fear - it never feels belaboured or excessive. They are also young - like early 20s - so that immaturity also makes sense. If they were my age, I’d be like, what the hell are you doing, but Oaklin also always owns up to it and there’s never the annoying miscommunication trope. It felt like a younger person learning how to adult.
The other side characters are such fun. There’s the baker and bard, who may or may not have a thing going on, a bunch of townsfolk who add to the quaint factor, and Lior, of course, a paladin librarian. I loved how Oaklin is first drawn to her because of her muscled arms, something that never gets enough attention on a woman. She also had her own minor arc, which fleshed her out and didn’t leave her feeling like “just the love interest”. The love story takes up a bit of the plot but doesn’t drag it into a romance with a capital R. It’s closed-door too.
The plot itself was well-balanced. While it is definitely not a plot-heavy book, Oaklin does have things they are wrestling with, and there is an overarching external threat to add some tension. Most of the book, though, is Oaklin learning to deal with their trauma and regain self-worth.
It’s cozy but not slow, charming, sweet, and I had a great time reading it. If you love cozy queer books with a bit of magic and small-town quaintness, you’ll really enjoy this. I thought it was delightful.
June 15, 2026
An unexpected read for sure. I went in thinking it only a cozy fantasy and while it was just that it was also much more. A book with dealing with past trauma and grief wrapped in how to run a farm and magical baked goods
June 17, 2026
I don't even have the energy to rant about this book and give it one star. It's so surface level, no deep characters just caricature, with nothing supporting it. The magic and the farming are just hand waived explanations so if you wanted an in depth sim your out of luck. You can guess everything that's going to happen in the book save for one detail that at that point I just didn't care. I won't lie I skimmed through this to get it over with, so who knows what I missed, but I doubt much.
April 30, 2026
💫🌿Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous🌿💫
This was equal parts cozy queer romance and a heartbreaking journey of healing. It explores redemption, forgiveness, and what it looks like for a community to rebuild after a reign of terror.
I teared up toward the end, but I really loved how it all came together.
🌱 What to Expect
• Former villain
• Cozy farm
• Healing ARC
• Ghost granny
• Found family
• Soft queer romance
_ _ _
⭐ Final Score: 5 stars
📅 Pub Date: June 2, 2026
📝 Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
This was equal parts cozy queer romance and a heartbreaking journey of healing. It explores redemption, forgiveness, and what it looks like for a community to rebuild after a reign of terror.
I teared up toward the end, but I really loved how it all came together.
🌱 What to Expect
• Former villain
• Cozy farm
• Healing ARC
• Ghost granny
• Found family
• Soft queer romance
_ _ _
⭐ Final Score: 5 stars
📅 Pub Date: June 2, 2026
📝 Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
May 31, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
3.5 ⭐️
A cute, quick read!
Cozy fantasy isn't a go-to for me, but I really enjoyed this! It's written well and has a nice balance of cozy vibes to plot. I really appreciated how the author shows great care in handling and representing trauma, and I'm always happy to see a book featuring a diverse cast of characters. If you're in the mood for something cozy but with substance, I recommend giving this a go!
3.5 ⭐️
A cute, quick read!
Cozy fantasy isn't a go-to for me, but I really enjoyed this! It's written well and has a nice balance of cozy vibes to plot. I really appreciated how the author shows great care in handling and representing trauma, and I'm always happy to see a book featuring a diverse cast of characters. If you're in the mood for something cozy but with substance, I recommend giving this a go!
June 11, 2026
This was such a cute cozy fantasy! I loved the diverse cast of characters, and the setting gave a bit of a hobbit/shire-esque feel. Granny was by far my favorite character.
This book is a beautiful story of healing and forgiveness. Oaklin suffers from pretty debilitating anxiety, which I can absolutely relate to, and their journey of learning to forgive themself and overcome their anxiety was really well done.
It definitely felt inspired by Stardew Valley or some other farming sim game, which I really enjoyed. It felt very immersive and well-written, transporting you into the setting quite seamlessly.
This is a great book to read if you need a palate cleanser between heavy-hitting reads or if you just want something quick and cozy that doesn’t have very high stakes.
The audio narration was also top-notch. Great fluctuation in voices and pace.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced review copy. My opinions are my own.
This book is a beautiful story of healing and forgiveness. Oaklin suffers from pretty debilitating anxiety, which I can absolutely relate to, and their journey of learning to forgive themself and overcome their anxiety was really well done.
It definitely felt inspired by Stardew Valley or some other farming sim game, which I really enjoyed. It felt very immersive and well-written, transporting you into the setting quite seamlessly.
This is a great book to read if you need a palate cleanser between heavy-hitting reads or if you just want something quick and cozy that doesn’t have very high stakes.
The audio narration was also top-notch. Great fluctuation in voices and pace.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced review copy. My opinions are my own.
June 15, 2026
Actually so adorable
June 10, 2026
Realistically 3.5 stars but rounded up to 4. Cute stardew valley vibes but definitely felt like this one could’ve ended sooner than it did but considering I’m usually not a fan of cozy this was good
June 18, 2026
this was surprisingly emotional for a cosy fantasy
June 6, 2026
4.5/5 stars
Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous is a cozy fantasy about second chances. Oaklin Nettlewood (they/them) was once a member of a villainous cult whose magic was forcibly used for evil. After the cult leader’s defeat frees them from that control, Oaklin retreats to a farm in the quiet town of Mossley’s Rest in hopes of starting over. Between a pushy granny ghost determined to teach them magic to help the farm flourish, villagers intent on pulling them into their circle, and a librarian paladin who may be interested in them romantically, Oaklin begins to wonder if they’ve finally found a place to belong. But with the guilt of their past, an Inquisitor hunting former cultists, and secrets they can’t bring themselves to share, true peace may still be out of reach.
This was such a cozy, heartwarming read, though it comes with a surprisingly heavy undercurrent of trauma. It’s still largely sweet and charming as Oaklin slowly rebuilds their life, gains a new perspective on themself, and opens themself to friendship and love. The novel captures that quintessential small-town cozy fantasy atmosphere, complete with a strong sense of community and an endearing found family made up of baker mage Ryn, bard Jules, and librarian/paladin Lior. Oaklin’s growing relationship with Lior was especially compelling because of the vulnerability tied to it; as a former cultist, opening up to a paladin feels both hopeful and terrifying.
What really elevated the story for me, though, was how thoughtfully it handled trauma and healing. Oaklin must confront not only the things they were forced to do while under the cult’s control, but also the question of whether they deserve forgiveness at all. The emotional payoff hit much harder than I expected, especially with a reveal near the end that had me in tears through much of the final stretch. It was genuinely devastating, and you could feel the full emotional weight of it even as the story moved toward healing and release.
Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous is a heartfelt cozy fantasy about grief, forgiveness, and learning how to reclaim your life after surviving the worst of it.
*Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC via NetGalley
Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous is a cozy fantasy about second chances. Oaklin Nettlewood (they/them) was once a member of a villainous cult whose magic was forcibly used for evil. After the cult leader’s defeat frees them from that control, Oaklin retreats to a farm in the quiet town of Mossley’s Rest in hopes of starting over. Between a pushy granny ghost determined to teach them magic to help the farm flourish, villagers intent on pulling them into their circle, and a librarian paladin who may be interested in them romantically, Oaklin begins to wonder if they’ve finally found a place to belong. But with the guilt of their past, an Inquisitor hunting former cultists, and secrets they can’t bring themselves to share, true peace may still be out of reach.
This was such a cozy, heartwarming read, though it comes with a surprisingly heavy undercurrent of trauma. It’s still largely sweet and charming as Oaklin slowly rebuilds their life, gains a new perspective on themself, and opens themself to friendship and love. The novel captures that quintessential small-town cozy fantasy atmosphere, complete with a strong sense of community and an endearing found family made up of baker mage Ryn, bard Jules, and librarian/paladin Lior. Oaklin’s growing relationship with Lior was especially compelling because of the vulnerability tied to it; as a former cultist, opening up to a paladin feels both hopeful and terrifying.
What really elevated the story for me, though, was how thoughtfully it handled trauma and healing. Oaklin must confront not only the things they were forced to do while under the cult’s control, but also the question of whether they deserve forgiveness at all. The emotional payoff hit much harder than I expected, especially with a reveal near the end that had me in tears through much of the final stretch. It was genuinely devastating, and you could feel the full emotional weight of it even as the story moved toward healing and release.
Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous is a heartfelt cozy fantasy about grief, forgiveness, and learning how to reclaim your life after surviving the worst of it.
*Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC via NetGalley
June 2, 2026
FIELD GUIDE FOR THE FORMERLY VILLAINOUS is a cozy fantasy that expertly mixes humor with deep emotion.
What to expect:
➛Fantastic LGBTQ+ representation. This aspect isn’t pointed at or highlighted as anything unusual. It’s never an issue for the characters or the community. It simply is who these characters are, which I loved.
➛Beautifully crafted found family.
➛Healing from trauma
➛Forgivenness
➛A slow-burn love story
➛Fun magic
This is the first book in the Everyday Magic series. The ending is solid. No huge cliffhanger to leave you dangling.
*Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the free eARC, provided via NetGalley!*
What to expect:
➛Fantastic LGBTQ+ representation. This aspect isn’t pointed at or highlighted as anything unusual. It’s never an issue for the characters or the community. It simply is who these characters are, which I loved.
➛Beautifully crafted found family.
➛Healing from trauma
➛Forgivenness
➛A slow-burn love story
➛Fun magic
This is the first book in the Everyday Magic series. The ending is solid. No huge cliffhanger to leave you dangling.
*Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the free eARC, provided via NetGalley!*
Want to Read
May 26, 2026My coworker just showed me the copy we got in, my gods, it's so cute!!!!
May 10, 2026
This was certainly a very cozy fantasy read and it's been awhile since I've finished one like it. It still touched on some heavier emotional themes as well. It gave me strong Stardew Valley meets Studio Ghibli vibes, gentle, whimsical, and comforting and honestly felt like a little side quest between normal fantasy books.
I really liked the premise however I did expect the MC to have been legitimately villianous which wasn't really the case. A lot of the book felt like therapy disguised as farming, which I can definitely see appealing to a lot of readers. For me though, the healing often came a little too easily, and because of that some of the emotional moments didn’t feel as impactful as they could have.
There was so muchintrospection and internal monologue about processing feelings and situations that the pacing started to drag a bit. Parts felt really repetitive and a lot of the plot felt pretty obvious and predictable.
I also had a hard time connecting with most of the side characters because they blurred together. Nearly every character felt sickly sweet, understanding, and kind to the point where they started sounding the same and didn’t really feel like fully distinct people with depth and nuance. Even the character who was supposed to be more antagonistic never really brought much tension. There’s a big reveal later on that should’ve affected her quite a lot considering how mean she’d been over much smaller things before, but her reaction was non existent. I know a cost fantasy doesn't really need stakes but damn.
Overall, this is a comforting, easy and cozy read with a lovely atmosphere, even if it didn’t completely live up to my expectations.
I really liked the premise however I did expect the MC to have been legitimately villianous which wasn't really the case. A lot of the book felt like therapy disguised as farming, which I can definitely see appealing to a lot of readers. For me though, the healing often came a little too easily, and because of that some of the emotional moments didn’t feel as impactful as they could have.
There was so muchintrospection and internal monologue about processing feelings and situations that the pacing started to drag a bit. Parts felt really repetitive and a lot of the plot felt pretty obvious and predictable.
I also had a hard time connecting with most of the side characters because they blurred together. Nearly every character felt sickly sweet, understanding, and kind to the point where they started sounding the same and didn’t really feel like fully distinct people with depth and nuance. Even the character who was supposed to be more antagonistic never really brought much tension. There’s a big reveal later on that should’ve affected her quite a lot considering how mean she’d been over much smaller things before, but her reaction was non existent. I know a cost fantasy doesn't really need stakes but damn.
Overall, this is a comforting, easy and cozy read with a lovely atmosphere, even if it didn’t completely live up to my expectations.
March 18, 2026
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an E-ARC in return for an honest review!
I loved Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous so much more than I expected.
The story follows Oaklin, a non-binary ex-villain trying to start over in a quiet little town called Mossley’s Rest. They decide to leave their past behind and become a farmer — which they have absolutely no idea how to do — only for things to get complicated once they discover their house is haunted by a ghost granny 😭
The cozy vibes in this book are everything. It genuinely reminded me of Stardew Valley in the best way possible: starting from scratch, learning how to farm, participating in town festivals, and slowly becoming part of a community.
But beneath all the softness, there’s also this constant tension. Oaklin is haunted not just by a literal ghost, but by their past as part of the Enchantrix’s cult, and the fear that The Inquisitor might find them and expose everything. That fear of not being accepted, of losing the one place that finally feels like home, was so well done.
What really made this book special to me was the emotional core. The friendships, the found family, and especially Oaklin’s relationship with Lior… it’s so sweet, gentle, and wholesome. Lior accepts them so effortlessly, never making them feel guilty or ashamed, and watching Oaklin slowly believe they deserve love and a second chance was just so touching.
Also, the way the story comes full circle and the final reveal about the ghost granny?? I loved that twist so much.
It’s a very low-stakes fantasy plot-wise, but emotionally it hits so well. It’s all about healing, redemption, and finding people who choose you despite your past.
If you loved Legends & Lattes or The Spellshop, you’ll probably adore this.
Such a soft, comforting, pure-hearted story!
I loved Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous so much more than I expected.
The story follows Oaklin, a non-binary ex-villain trying to start over in a quiet little town called Mossley’s Rest. They decide to leave their past behind and become a farmer — which they have absolutely no idea how to do — only for things to get complicated once they discover their house is haunted by a ghost granny 😭
The cozy vibes in this book are everything. It genuinely reminded me of Stardew Valley in the best way possible: starting from scratch, learning how to farm, participating in town festivals, and slowly becoming part of a community.
But beneath all the softness, there’s also this constant tension. Oaklin is haunted not just by a literal ghost, but by their past as part of the Enchantrix’s cult, and the fear that The Inquisitor might find them and expose everything. That fear of not being accepted, of losing the one place that finally feels like home, was so well done.
What really made this book special to me was the emotional core. The friendships, the found family, and especially Oaklin’s relationship with Lior… it’s so sweet, gentle, and wholesome. Lior accepts them so effortlessly, never making them feel guilty or ashamed, and watching Oaklin slowly believe they deserve love and a second chance was just so touching.
Also, the way the story comes full circle and the final reveal about the ghost granny?? I loved that twist so much.
It’s a very low-stakes fantasy plot-wise, but emotionally it hits so well. It’s all about healing, redemption, and finding people who choose you despite your past.
If you loved Legends & Lattes or The Spellshop, you’ll probably adore this.
Such a soft, comforting, pure-hearted story!
June 23, 2026
**Thank you to Sourcebooks Audio for the ALC; all opinions are my own.**
3.75-4⭐️
🎧
Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous was a very cozy, slice-of-life novel that focused a lot on character development and healing. After recently being freed from an evil enchantress's mind control, Oaklen buys a farm to start their life anew. They are timid at first, but thanks to the town's support, they begin to heal a bit. This was marketed as feeling like a Studio Ghibli movie, but I wouldn't say that the world or the plot feels as such- HOWEVER, the town's community definitely does.
Oaklen's farm comes with the ghost of the previous owner (Granny) & Grannt helps them learn how to run the farm as well as how to become more comfortable with their own magic. I had slight suspicions, but they were proven wrong at the end, which I'm glad about. There are also a lot of seasonal time skips, but nothing seems out of place because of it.
Overall, this was a sweet story. I liked how queer normative the world was and how the community rallied behind each other. The narrator grew on me and they fit the tone of the novel. I would recommend if you don't want something super super serious.
☆queer normative world
☆cozy fantasy
☆healing from trauma
☆non-binary MC
☆magic
☆ghost Granny
3.75-4⭐️
🎧
Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous was a very cozy, slice-of-life novel that focused a lot on character development and healing. After recently being freed from an evil enchantress's mind control, Oaklen buys a farm to start their life anew. They are timid at first, but thanks to the town's support, they begin to heal a bit. This was marketed as feeling like a Studio Ghibli movie, but I wouldn't say that the world or the plot feels as such- HOWEVER, the town's community definitely does.
Oaklen's farm comes with the ghost of the previous owner (Granny) & Grannt helps them learn how to run the farm as well as how to become more comfortable with their own magic. I had slight suspicions, but they were proven wrong at the end, which I'm glad about. There are also a lot of seasonal time skips, but nothing seems out of place because of it.
Overall, this was a sweet story. I liked how queer normative the world was and how the community rallied behind each other. The narrator grew on me and they fit the tone of the novel. I would recommend if you don't want something super super serious.
☆queer normative world
☆cozy fantasy
☆healing from trauma
☆non-binary MC
☆magic
☆ghost Granny
June 25, 2026
If Stardew Valley was a book— seriously.
★ ★ ★ ★ 4 stars
I honestly think I’m being a little generous with my rating, but I have been in such a slump and this is what managed to make me read 🤷🏻♀️
Oaklin Nettlewood, an ex-cultist, finds themselves buying a little farm in Mossley’s Rest. They navigate learning how to tend to the land, build new relationships, and work through their past.
🍄🟫🍄🍂🍄🟫🍄🍂🍄🟫🍄🍂🍄🟫🍄🍂🍄🟫🍄🍂
Oaklin, our MC, is honestly insufferable. A true woe is me character. There were countless times they annoyed me so much that I had to shut the book and take a break. Honey, people are too preoccupied with themselves to be looking at you 24/7.
Everything was pretty simple and remained surface level. We didn’t get explanations of the magic system, relationships didn’t really evolve, and don’t get me started on the trauma.
The fact that the title has “formerly villainous” in it when everything Oaklin did was when they were mind-controlled is…a choice.
I thought the story with Ghost Granny was sweet and executed well. Overall, it’s a cute easy read. Don’t expect too much out of it and you’ll probably have a good time.
Just expect farming, farmers markets, baking, and cute friendships.
🍄🟫🍄🍂🍄🟫🍄🍂🍄🟫🍄🍂🍄🟫🍄🍂🍄🟫🍄🍂
★ ★ ★ ★ 4 stars
I honestly think I’m being a little generous with my rating, but I have been in such a slump and this is what managed to make me read 🤷🏻♀️
Oaklin Nettlewood, an ex-cultist, finds themselves buying a little farm in Mossley’s Rest. They navigate learning how to tend to the land, build new relationships, and work through their past.
🍄🟫🍄🍂🍄🟫🍄🍂🍄🟫🍄🍂🍄🟫🍄🍂🍄🟫🍄🍂
Oaklin, our MC, is honestly insufferable. A true woe is me character. There were countless times they annoyed me so much that I had to shut the book and take a break. Honey, people are too preoccupied with themselves to be looking at you 24/7.
Everything was pretty simple and remained surface level. We didn’t get explanations of the magic system, relationships didn’t really evolve, and don’t get me started on the trauma.
The fact that the title has “formerly villainous” in it when everything Oaklin did was when they were mind-controlled is…a choice.
I thought the story with Ghost Granny was sweet and executed well. Overall, it’s a cute easy read. Don’t expect too much out of it and you’ll probably have a good time.
Just expect farming, farmers markets, baking, and cute friendships.
🍄🟫🍄🍂🍄🟫🍄🍂🍄🟫🍄🍂🍄🟫🍄🍂🍄🟫🍄🍂
June 16, 2026
Now, this is a true cozy fantasy
I picked up this book because of the mushroom sprayed edges. No, really, I did. I was book shopping with a friend and she asked me if what it was about, after I had added it to my stack. And I realized I had no idea. I knew the title, Field Guide for the formerly villainous, and that it probably involved mushrooms.
It turns out, Field Guide for the formerly villainous is a cozy fantasy about Oaklin, who was a brainwashed puppet cultist, who was freed from their servitude when hero's cast down the villian. Oaklin has no memory of their six years of slavery, and very limited memory of their time before they joined. Now they are free and trying to make a fresh start in a new town, as a farmer, without magic. Unfortunately they weren't expecting the ghost who lives in the cottage, and that they would need magic to farm.
This is 100000% a story of healing. Its a story of PTSD, and trauma. A story of what life is like when you've been through an experience that makes you not feel safe in your own body, and how to move forward step by step. Oaklin is challenged to heal, for themselves, for their friends, and for the community. Saftey is scary sometimes, and it can be hard after such a traumatic experience to be safe.
When i say this story is cozy, I mean it checks all the boxes I require. There is 1) Magic 2) some sort of home based profession (farming in this book) and 3) there is no terrible third act break up /miscommunication like thing to stress over. There is conflict in this book, but it is dealt with without me as the reader feeling stress or dear. The characters communicate, and work through things. There is sadness in this book, but oaklin faces it in their own time.
In case you cannot tell, I really reccomend this book.
Oh! And the main character is non binary, so this is the perfect book to add for your pride month TBR
I picked up this book because of the mushroom sprayed edges. No, really, I did. I was book shopping with a friend and she asked me if what it was about, after I had added it to my stack. And I realized I had no idea. I knew the title, Field Guide for the formerly villainous, and that it probably involved mushrooms.
It turns out, Field Guide for the formerly villainous is a cozy fantasy about Oaklin, who was a brainwashed puppet cultist, who was freed from their servitude when hero's cast down the villian. Oaklin has no memory of their six years of slavery, and very limited memory of their time before they joined. Now they are free and trying to make a fresh start in a new town, as a farmer, without magic. Unfortunately they weren't expecting the ghost who lives in the cottage, and that they would need magic to farm.
This is 100000% a story of healing. Its a story of PTSD, and trauma. A story of what life is like when you've been through an experience that makes you not feel safe in your own body, and how to move forward step by step. Oaklin is challenged to heal, for themselves, for their friends, and for the community. Saftey is scary sometimes, and it can be hard after such a traumatic experience to be safe.
When i say this story is cozy, I mean it checks all the boxes I require. There is 1) Magic 2) some sort of home based profession (farming in this book) and 3) there is no terrible third act break up /miscommunication like thing to stress over. There is conflict in this book, but it is dealt with without me as the reader feeling stress or dear. The characters communicate, and work through things. There is sadness in this book, but oaklin faces it in their own time.
In case you cannot tell, I really reccomend this book.
Oh! And the main character is non binary, so this is the perfect book to add for your pride month TBR
June 13, 2026
I am a sucker for a good, cozy fantasy 🤭 Field Guide for the Formally Villainous delivered.
Oaklin readjusting to life after being tricked into a cult was just the listen I needed this week. I cannot imagine the trauma they went through during their days of mind control cult life, so hearing them adjust to a quiet farmer’s life was so wholesome. The guidance of the gentle ghost, Grumpy Horse, the sweet farm dog, just everything was just what Oaklin needed while settling into their new life. And of course I was here for all the found family vibes as the residents of Mossley’s Rest helped Oaklin settle into normalcy.
Thank you so much Autumn K. England, Sourcebooks Audio, and Libro.FM for a gifted copy of the audiobook!
Oaklin readjusting to life after being tricked into a cult was just the listen I needed this week. I cannot imagine the trauma they went through during their days of mind control cult life, so hearing them adjust to a quiet farmer’s life was so wholesome. The guidance of the gentle ghost, Grumpy Horse, the sweet farm dog, just everything was just what Oaklin needed while settling into their new life. And of course I was here for all the found family vibes as the residents of Mossley’s Rest helped Oaklin settle into normalcy.
Thank you so much Autumn K. England, Sourcebooks Audio, and Libro.FM for a gifted copy of the audiobook!
June 19, 2026
This book absolutely reminds me of Stardew Valley and I am here for it. The Ghibli comp is well-deserved, too; the vibes were so fun and gentle.
Heavy themes like PTSD, anxiety, guilt, and self loathing were handled with such tenderness and the ending of the book was so sweet.
Ghost Granny was an awesome supporting character and I loved the found family aspect of the book and the strong sense of community the villagers have - even the grumps.
The romance was cute but the REAL love story was between me and those food descriptions. I don't think I've ever had a book (that wasn't a cookbook) make me hungry every single time I read it.
I recommend this to anyone who wants to experience Stardew Valley in book form, but maybe don't read it on and empty stomach.
Heavy themes like PTSD, anxiety, guilt, and self loathing were handled with such tenderness and the ending of the book was so sweet.
Ghost Granny was an awesome supporting character and I loved the found family aspect of the book and the strong sense of community the villagers have - even the grumps.
The romance was cute but the REAL love story was between me and those food descriptions. I don't think I've ever had a book (that wasn't a cookbook) make me hungry every single time I read it.
I recommend this to anyone who wants to experience Stardew Valley in book form, but maybe don't read it on and empty stomach.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 539 reviews